Stepping Away Doing the right thing

Trump Adm. monetizes public health. post #USAID. Mike Reid, PEPFAR’s chief science officer resigns, "When access to treatment or prevention becomes entangled with access to critical minerals or geopolitical positioning, the work is no longer what it claims to be." open.substack.com/pub/reimagin...

What were "brand safety" protections for online content that @AFergusonFTC fears: "adult & explicit sexual content, crime & harmful acts to individuals, hate speech & acts of aggression, obscenity & profanity, illegal drugs, terrorism, misinformation (verifiably false content)."
bit.ly/486bHOx

Amazon to acquire Globalstar and expand Amazon Leo satellite network Globalstar satellites, radio frequency spectrum, and operational expertise will enable Amazon Leo to add Direct-to-Device (D2D) services to future generations of its low Earth orbit satellite network.

Antitrust, data & consumer protection regulators should focus on Amazon's further expansion on mobile devices, esp in the Gen AI commercial surveillance marketing 3.0 era.
www.aboutamazon.com/news/company...

Shameful action weakening online safeguards for kids as well as broader public. Big data marketing agencies on bended knee to FTC. www.mediapost.com/publications...

Exclusive | FTC in Settlement Talks With Ad Companies in Boycott Probe The government began an inquiry last year into whether ad firms were funneling client dollars away from certain media platforms.

On both bended & branded knee. Shape on the ad giants, which may include WPP & Publicis, for caving in to the Trump FTC. Their clients will ultimately pay.
www.wsj.com/business/med... via @WSJ

OpenAI acquires an AI-powered personal investing app The company behind ChatGPT acquired Roi, a startup that created a personalized AI chatbot that can give financial advice.

OpenAI buying a finance app part of this commercial surveillance marketing 3.0 story--Gen AI for shopping, payments, ads. Agentic monetization at core of Gen AI apparatus. www.engadget.com/ai/openai-ac...

OpenAI has quietly launched its ads manager as it races to build out its ads business The AI platform launched the ads manager within its ChatGPT ads pilot advertisers last week, and also lowered the barrier to joining the test.

GenAI is the foundation for the Commercial Surveillance 3.0 era. Ads, marketing, sales is what AI is being shaped to deliver--with less privacy, autonomy, & greater control by #BigTech.
OpenAI has quietly launched its ads manager as it races to build out its ads business bit.ly/3QEc1Ot

Continued shameful behavior from Meta. Don't they have a mirror around there? Scoop: Meta removes ads for social media addiction litigation www.axios.com/2026/04/09/m...

Commercial surveillance 3.0 via #GenAI for ads & marketing will be the key business model, as it has been with online from start. Young people & everyone else will be targets for automated & intelligent monetization. Time for action. openai.com/index/introd...
www.axios.com/2026/04/09/o...

McDonald's and Netflix Call on Fans to Pick a Side With Two New 'KPop Demon Hunters'-Inspired Meals - About Netflix

Netflix & McDonald's marketing combo cashes in on your calories, with a data gathering side: "Every Saja Boys Breakfast Meal and HUNTR/X Meal comes with a collectible card pack..
Fans can scan the QR code on each Derpy access card and enter the unique code on the McDonald’s App..."
bit.ly/4e4IpDB

Trump FTC released its four-year strategic plan. By failing to call for regulation of GenAI, agency not protecting U.S. privacy, consumers & their financial security. www.ftc.gov/system/files...

Cigarettes Get a Sequel: Hollywood’s ‘Cool’ Bad Habit Is Back ‘People are stressed out of their fucking minds’ as the industry lights up again

Public health advocates, regulators, need to examine use of tobacco in films & other entertainment, inc. any tobacco biz links for promotion, influence.
Cigarettes Get a Sequel: Hollywood’s ‘Cool’ Bad Habit Is Back open.substack.com/pub/theankle...

Today's #SesameStreet is brought to us by letter D--for data collection. Public requires data & parent-targeted ad free viewing for kids series. tubitv.com/static/privacy; corporate.tubitv.com/press/sesame...

Watch Free TV & Movies Online | Stream Full Length Videos | Tubi Watch free on Tubi. From deep cuts to hit movies, shows, series, live TV and awarded originals. No subscription. Free forever.

@SesameWorkshop needs to explain its deal with #Tubi, inc. whether & what parental & kids data gathered, inc. used for ads, marketing. At a time of addictive social media, public media should not contribute to commercial surveillance, inc via streaming TV. corporate.tubitv.com/press/sesame...

NewFronts ‘26: TikTok Unveils New High-Impact Ad Solutions - Newsroom | TikTok TikTok is the world's leading destination for short-form mobile videos. Our mission is to capture and present the world's creativity, knowledge, and moments that matter in everyday life. TikTok empowe...

Ellison's TikTok just unveiled tools used by his Paramount & soon to be Warner Bros. to leverage platform promotion for films, media content. Illustrates why TikTok role part of antitrust, consolidation, privacy review.
newsroom.tiktok.com/newfronts-26...
bit.ly/3NMoy1i

Musk’s X Loses Suit Accusing Advertisers of Boycotting Platform The World Federation of Advertisers, Nestle SA, Shell Plc and a handful of other companies won dismissal of a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk’s X over claims that they orchestrated an advertising boycott o...

Decision against Elon Musk claim of antitrust violation by advertisers working together to set modest safeguards places reason before rage (over lack of monetization for X due to what's called brand safety). Useful to see in light of successful social media addiction cases. bit.ly/4lWNXSL

It's sad news that the leading public service media co would choose someone from a company that has engaged in far-reaching commercial surveillance data marketing; targets minors with ads; harnesses influencers; cozies up to gov't, etc. I do not know Mr. Brittin. But wrong background & message.

Paramount/Skydance takeover of WBD will not lead to diverse & creative IP production, more employment & theatrical releases. It delivers greater media control to a handful of Trump-linked investors, focused on global release payoffs via streaming, sports, gaming.

EU should regulate streaming video networks, platforms & TV set co's on Smart TV--not just Google, Amazon, etc. Inside digital TVs are multiple sets of control, with data gathering, surveillance, manipulation (inc via AI). Background: bit.ly/47NU45U
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
bit.ly/4v1N0wG

Even the commercial surveillance lobby knows Meta can’t be trusted. www.mediapost.com/publications...

At today's @SenAdamSchiff Hollywood hearing, re Ellison's Paramount+Warner's (add TikTok US) takeover. Speak out about the chain of Big $, policy giveways & deals, including connection to further global media consolidation.

Dynamic Ad Insertion in an ATSC 3.0 World: Displayed At NAB Show | Radio & Television Business Report Traditional linear ads can now be substituted with internet-based personalized advertising — at least in a world where NEXTGEN TV powered by ATSC 3.0 and in a future Brazilian marketplace. That's the ...

Regulators should dig into Tegna & Nexstar market power +data consolidation, inc. for ads, via use of new digital capabilities. Privacy issues too. For ex: rbr.com/dynamic-ad-i...; www.oxagile.com/article/how-...

R.J. Cipriani Targets Paramount, David and Larry Ellison's Trump Relationship in Amended Lawsuit The media giant says the Las Vegas gambler and whistleblower's claims of a quid pro quo between Larry Ellison and Trump are "frivolous" and "entirely without merit”

#WarnerMount litigation: "alleges that a $10 billion payment by Oracle and its co-investors to the Trump administration in the TikTok deal is a “quid pro quo” for Trump’s personal assurance that the administration would support and facilitate Paramount’s acquisition of WBD." bit.ly/4tdenCj

If the #FTC really wants to protect the privacy of children, it mus enact age "assurance" safeguards--not just age verification. @EPICprivacy @fairplayforkids @DigitalDemoc explain to FTC & public. democraticmedia.org/publishings/...

Advertising Marketing Science Lead Marketing · San Francisco · FullTime

Commercial surveillance marketing 3.0 is shaping global GenAI operations. Look at the job openings @ #OpenAI & it's just like Facebook/Meta was a decade ago. Time to intervene is now. Ex: openai.com/careers/adve...

YouTube Lays Claim to Another Crown: The World’s Largest Media Company The influential financial research firm MoffettNathanson suggests that the Google-owned video platform passed Disney's media business in 2025.

YouTube requires video (& privacy) regulation--it is a production+advertising+distribution conglomerate. Not a passive publisher.
YouTube Lays Claim to Another Crown: The World’s Largest Media Company www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/dig... via @thr

Congrats to @SenMarkey for decades long leadership to protect Americans online & off--and now again kids+teens. democraticmedia.org/publishings/...

‘We’re not trying to remake the economy’: FTC’s Mufarrige charts new course on tech enforcement The FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection chief discussed the agency’s embrace of age verification and how industry should think about data privacy enforcement under his watch.

Don't expect Trump FTC to address affordability--what you pay for groceries. Consumer protection head says "Surveillance pricing was a term made up by the last admin... not sure I accept that premise either." Shows they don't want to know how the digital data market harms consumers. bit.ly/3MO7asO

CBP Tapped Into the Online Advertising Ecosystem To Track Peoples’ Movements An internal DHS document obtained by 404 Media shows for the first time CBP used location data sourced from the online advertising industry to track phone locations. ICE has bought access to similar t...

Spies are us.
www.404media.co/cbp-tapped-i...

As Ted Sarandos of Netflix told Bloomberg, reflecting its review of WBD financials, the proposed Ellison takeover via huge debt will mean "less people working, less production." www.bloomberg.com/news/article...