On this episode of the MadTech Podcast, ExchangeWire head of marketing Grainne Reid is joined by head of content John Still and Teodora (Teddy) Tepavicharova, programmatic strategy at Condé Nast. 

They discuss Meta inflating its ad performance, TikTok's newly introduced AI mandate for brands selling through the platform, and AI worming its way into journalism.  

Teodora will also be joining us at ATS London on 9th September, on the panel Revolutionising Publishing: Technology, Collaboration, and Opportunity. If you want to catch that discussion, there's still time to get a ticket: register here.

This week's stories:

Meta inflated ad performance and bypassed Apple’s privacy rules (FT)

Meta is facing new claims of ad misreporting. A whistleblower alleges the company manipulated results to boost its e-commerce format, Shops ads. The complaint, filed with the London Central Employment Tribunal by ex-product manager Samujjal Purkayastha, says Meta inflated return on ad spend. Tactics allegedly included counting shipping fees as revenue, subsidising bids in auctions, and offering undisclosed discounts.

TiKTok’s new AI mandate (BI)

TikTok is making it mandatory for TikTok Shop brands to use a new AI ad tool starting 1st September. Introduced in 2024, the TikTok tool uses an AI algorithm to decide how to get advertisers the most bang for their buck. Some brands are unhappy about the shift and want to retain control over their ad targeting.

Wired and Business Insider remove ‘AI-written’ freelance articles (Press Gazette)

Wired and Business Insider have removed news features written by a freelance journalist after concerns they are likely AI-generated works of fiction. Several other UK and US online publications have published questionable articles by the same person, going by the name of Margaux Blanchard, since April.