Finally, we have Shopify helping its clients adjust by integrating Yahoo’s cookie-free  Connect ID for ad targeting.  The deal will let Shopify merchants target (and retarget) ads at individuals across the 3,000-plus publisher domains that support Yahoo’s Connect ID.

In the on-going plague that is Facebook, I could mention The New York Times’ report that they are pushing their own propaganda through the News Feed or that the ad industry proposes to “combat” social media hate speech without cutting off the ad spending that funds it. But let’s instead offer a ray of hope: Blackbird.ai has raised $10 million for its platform to quickly detect and respond to social media disinformation campaigns.

It’s tough to get brand safety right, but the industry keeps trying.  IPG Mediabrands announced a new set of tools to find and block inappropriate ad placements, while IAS expanded its suitability measurements to include standards from the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM).  Meanwhile, DoubleVerify admitted a mistake made brand safety on X/Twitter look worse than it really was in October 2023 and March 2024.