PlayBox Technology

AdTech Faces Stricter AI Regulations Amid Industry Innovations

Governments tighten AI governance while adtech players intensify AI-driven initiatives. The industry unveils the AdCP standard for agentic AI; California passes SB 243 mandating safety protocols for AI companion chatbots. Major platforms including Meta, OpenAI, Character AI, and Replika face enhanced regulatory scrutiny. WPP signs a USD 400 million, five-year strategic partnership with Google to embed Gemini and Veo into its platforms, and Google pursues EU search concessions to avert Digital Markets Act penalties amid broader regulatory pressure. The European Commission demands safeguards details under the Digital Services Act from Snapchat, YouTube, Apple App Store, and Google Play. TikTok reduces 439 content moderation roles in London, CMA designates Google with strategic market status in search and search advertising, Reddit hires Sharb Farjami to lead agency partnerships, and Walmart teams with OpenAI for AI-first retail.

Media Giants Merge Ad Sales Amid Regulatory Scrutiny

Nine and Paramount-Ten are in talks to unify their ad‑sales operations, with Nine expected to manage Ten’s free‑to‑air and digital ad revenue as Paramount’s leadership weighs merging Ten with another media entity to survive amid rising platform dominance. The discussions reflect broader industry pressure from Google, Meta, Amazon, and TikTok eroding local media share and boosting regulatory scrutiny that could constrain cross‑company ad collaborations. Separately, Perplexity announced at Advertising Week that it is pausing onboarding of new advertisers, a pivot from earlier tests with Whole Foods, Indeed, and Universal McCann, as it shifts toward strengthening its publisher program. In Brussels, the European Commission is reviewing protections for minors on major platforms under the Digital Services Act, seeking disclosures on age verification and safeguards. UK MPs, backed by trades unions and safety advocates, are probing TikTok’s plan to cut 439 content‑moderation jobs in London, amid concerns about 1.4 million UK users under 13.

99% of Child-Directed Apps Fail COPPA Compliance, Report Reveals

Pixalate released its Q2 2025 report on COPPA compliance for mobile apps in the US, focusing on apps registered in Google Play and the Apple App Store that are likely directed at children under 13 and do not obtain verifiable parental consent (VPC). The study examined 1,149 US-registered, likely child-directed apps with advertising capabilities. It found a 99% non-compliance rate, with 1,136 of 1,149 apps failing to obtain VPC under COPPA. The report also traces ad-tech exposure within these apps, showing Google Ad Exchange appearing in 1,019 apps (90%), Meta/Facebook in 658 apps (58%), and AppLovin in 619 apps (54%). To compile the findings, Pixalate used automated processing complemented by manual reviews by its Trust & Safety Advisory Board, evaluating nearly 134,000 ad-bearing apps available in Q2 2025. The research highlights privacy violation risks for developers and the broader advertising supply chain under COPPA.