CMA says tech company has ‘abused its dominant position’ to the detriment of publishers and advertisers * Business live – latest updates The UK competition watchdog has accused Google of anti-competitive behaviour in the market for buying and selling ads on websites, in a move that follows similar investigations in the US and the EU. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had found that Google has “abused its dominant position” in online advertising to the detriment of thousands of UK publishers and advertisers. Continue reading...

Decision from WFA follows X suit accusing advertisers of conspiring to withhold ‘billions of dollars in revenue’ A global advertiser alliance has discontinued its corporate responsibility program after a lawsuit from Elon Musk’s X accused the group of orchestrating a “massive advertiser boycott”. The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) told members on Thursday that it would shut down the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (Garm) following legal attacks from X, formerly Twitter, according to Business Insider, which first reported the news. Garm is a not-for-profit initiative within the WFA that helps brands avoid advertising alongside or monetizing harmful content. Continue reading...

X said the companies worked against their economic self-interests in a conspiracy violating US antitrust law Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, on Tuesday sued a global advertising alliance and several major companies, including Unilever, Mars and CVS Health, accusing them of unlawfully conspiring to shun the social network and intentionally causing it to lose revenue. The company formerly known as Twitter accused the defendants of a “massive advertiser boycott”. X filed the lawsuit in federal court in Texas on Tuesday against the World Federation of Advertisers as well as the companies individually. Continue reading...

Advertising to children is strictly regulated – but household brands are flooding the gaming platform Roblox with interactive marketing. Is this a danger to young users? In the blocky world of Chipotle Burrito Builder, players don the uniform of the Tex-Mex restaurant chain to make burritos for virtual customers. The available toppings are taken from Chipotle’s real-world menu. Your shirt and cap are emblazoned with the Chipotle logo. And when the game launched two years ago, the first 100,000 players could earn “Burrito Bucks” to exchange for a prize on Chipotle’s website. Then there’s Hyundai Mobility Adventure that lets you test-drive models of the Korean manufacturer’s cars. Samsung Galaxy Station gives you a mock-up of the company’s latest smartphone to take around extraterrestrial worlds. Telefónica Town challenges you to climb an assault course built of products from the telecommunication giant’s catalogue. Vans World simply hands you a skateboard with which to bust a few kickflips across a park plastered with the shoe manufacturer’s logo. Continue reading...