In this episode of the MadTech Podcast, Shula Sinclair, chief strategy officer at T&P, joins ExchangeWire editor Aimee Newell Tarín and head of content John Still to discuss the latest surrounding Meta’s fraudulent ads, AI sending traffic and conversions soaring for retailers, and the influencer landscape.

They look at a complaint launched by Swedish publishers against Meta, how AI is reshaping consumer habits, and influencer content’s increasing popularity with older viewers.

This week's news stories:

Swedish news publishers file criminal complaint against Zuckerberg over Facebook scam ads

A group of Swedish publishers has filed a police complaint against Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg, accusing Facebook of profiting from fraudulent ads, alleging Meta is guilty of fraud, complicity in fraud, and preparation for fraud. According to the group, these fraudulent ads exploit media companies and journalists, as well as causing harm to innocent people both financially and psychologically.

Generative AI traffic to retailers up 830%

Adobe reports an 830% year-over-year increase in AI-driven traffic to retail sites during early November. Adobe’s data also finds that conversion rates are 30% higher for those using AI to shop than those arriving via traditional search. Over 30% of those surveyed reported already having used AI for online shopping, and almost half plan to use it for their Christmas shopping this year. 

Older audiences flocking to influencer content

Influencers and content creators are becoming increasingly popular among older viewers. Research by Ampere Analysis reveals that 54% of 55 to 64-year olds in the US now watch influencer content every week, while in the UK, the figure has risen from 30% to 38%.