In today’s Digest, we cover ICE seeking ad tech and big data tools for investigations. We also look at major Meta news, including Threads rolling out global ads and Meta banning teens from AI bots amid a youth addiction trial, as well as WPP launching WPP Production.

ICE seeks ad tech & big data tools for investigations

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is seeking insight into the “commercial Big Data and Ad Tech” tools that could be used to support its investigative work, according to a request for information published in the Federal Register. The notice states that the agency is handling growing volumes of criminal, civil and administrative data drawn from a wide range of internal and external sources. ICE says the request is intended to assess the landscape of technology solutions capable of helping it manage, process and analyse this information more effectively.

According to the filing, the agency is evaluating both established and emerging products, particularly those comparable to large-scale investigative data platforms and legal or risk analytics providers. However, the filing offers limited detail on how such compliance would be defined in practice.

Meta rolls out global ads on Threads, bans teens from AI bots, and faces youth addiction trial

Meta is pressing ahead with the global monetisation of Threads, confirming plans to roll out advertising to users worldwide. The expansion will be phased over several months, starting this week, as the company seeks to balance revenue growth with user experience. Brands will be able to run image and video formats, including carousel ads and the newer 4:5 aspect ratio, and manage campaigns alongside Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp through Meta’s Business Settings. 

The advertising push comes as social media  faces intensifying scrutiny over user safety, particularly for younger audiences. Meta is moving to restrict teenagers’ access to its AI chatbots that operate under different personas, part of a broader effort to strengthen safeguards and limit potentially harmful interactions. 

At the same time, the company is among several tech giants now confronting a landmark legal challenge in the US, where a closely watched case in California is testing claims that social media platforms’ design features can drive compulsive use and contribute to harm among young users. The outcome could have far-reaching implications for platform accountability, product design and regulation across the social media industry.

WPP retires Hogarth and launches WPP Production

WPP is retiring its long-standing production unit Hogarth and consolidating its production capabilities under a new global entity, WPP Production. As part of the restructure, Hogarth’s global CEO Richard Glasson will become CEO of WPP Production, overseeing a workforce of nearly 10,000 people. WPP Production will bring together all of the group’s creative and media production resources into what it describes as a single, holistic ecosystem. 

All teams will operate on one global platform powered by WPP Open, using shared production technology and AI-driven workflows. WPP Production is set to open studio locations worldwide, with the transition having taken effect on 23rd February, 2026.

The new model is built around four pillars: creating a unified global team of craft experts, integrating agency producers to drive innovation, unlocking next-generation content origination through generative AI, virtual and hybrid production, and launching a high-velocity content studio designed to deliver integrated production and media at scale. The aim is to centralise all creative producers across WPP into one global platform serving the network’s client roster.