In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: Indian content-sharing platform ShareChat reach USD $2.1bn in value after a fresh funding round; Ireland’s Data Protection Commission investigate whether Facebook breached GDPR after revelations of a data leak affecting more than 500 million users; and Amazon acquire Perpule, and Indian start-up that helps physical retailers become digital.   ShareChat valued at over $2bn after raising $502m in new funding Indian content-sharing platform ShareChat have broken the USD $2bn (£1.4bn) valuation mark after raising USD $502m (£361.2m) in [...]

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The IPA Bellwether Report Q1 2021, released today 15th April 2021, has revealed a net balance of 11.5% of UK marketers reporting a contraction in available adspend, down from 24.0% last quarter. Confidence is returning to the market, with a net balance of firms expressing optimism over the coming three months up to 26.2%, the most positive measure of sentiment since the close of 2015 from 5.8%. Report highlights – Concerns over the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, as well as indirect effects of [...]

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In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: tech start-ups Gojek and Tokopedia merge to create “GoTo”; Google’s vice president of government affairs and policy urges the Biden administration to work more closely with the EU; and games developer Tripledot Studios raise USD $78m in a Series A funding round.   Gojek and Tokopedia merge to create “GoTo” Indonesia-based tech start-ups Gojek and Tokopedia are reportedly in the final stages of a USD $18bn (£13.1bn) merger. The deal, which is expected to close later this month, [...]

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In this article written exclusively for ExchangeWire, Jonas Jaanimagi (pictured below), technology lead at IAB Australia, explains how the IAB Tech Lab will help the industry rid itself of rogue programmatic traders. The mechanics of automated digital advertising are regularly compared to financial markets, and in some aspects that analogy can hold true. The main distinctions lie in the levels of regulation that are in place in finance and which are regularly reviewed and upgraded, whilst programmatic digital advertising remains self-regulated. [...]

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In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: Singapore “super app” Grab go public in the US via a record-breaking SPAC deal; media firms Univision and Grupo Televisa merge to build the US’s largest Spanish-language player; and the Biden administration add 7 Chinese supercomputer developers to the US’s blacklist.   Grab go public in largest ever SPAC deal Singapore-based start-up Grab will go public via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). The “super app”, which is yet to turn a profit, will raise USD $4.5bn (£3.3bn) [...]

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In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: Microsoft purchase AI and voice tech firm Nuance for USD $16bn; China ban mobile apps from collecting “excessive” levels of users’ personal data; and daily app usage leaps 30% compared to 2019, finds a study from App Annie.   Nuance acquired by Microsoft for USD $16bn Nuance Communications, an AI and speech technology company, are set to be taken over by Microsoft. The USD $16bn (£12bn) purchase reflects the US-based tech heavyweight’s plan to bolster their cloud-computing offering for [...]

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In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: the UK’s Digital Markets Unit (DMU) begins operating; Clubhouse reportedly look for new funding as they seek to boost their value to USD $4bn; and Instagram is found to be the most “invasive” app by a study into apps’ data collection and sharing practices.   UK’s DMU gets to work The UK’s newly-formed regulator for the policing of Big Tech has officially begun operating. The Digital Markets Unit (DMU) will make devising new codes of conduct between social [...]

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In this weekly segment, ExchangeWire sums up key industry updates in ad tech from around the globe. In this edition: Colorado becomes the latest US state to consider implementing a new data privacy law; Apple have begun blocking apps that do not comply with their new App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework; and LinkedIn confirm that they’re working on an audio-only social feature.   Colorado considers new consumer privacy law Colorado has become the latest US state to propose revamping its consumer privacy laws. State [...]

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In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: LinkedIn confirm plans to build an audio-only social feature into their platform; TikTok announce that users will be unable to opt-out of receiving personalised ads from mid-April; and deal-making and impression generation on advanced TV make a strong recovery after COVID-19.   LinkedIn confirm plans for Clubhouse rival Corporate social networking platform LinkedIn have confirmed that they are currently developing an audio-only social offering. The announcement puts the company alongside fellow socials Facebook and Twitter, who have both [...]

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