CIDRAP: CDC, health groups spent millions to buy ads on websites flagged for misinformation. “In the new study, published this week in JAMA Network Open, researchers scrutinized advertising revenue from 11 news sites flagged for spreading health misinformation, including false claims about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2026/04/04/cidrap-cdc-health-groups-spent-millions-to-buy-ads-on-websites-flagged-for-misinformation/

Search Engine Land: ChatGPT ads are showing up – a lot. “In a test of 500 questions across the mobile app, roughly one in five questions in a new conversation thread triggered an ad at the bottom of ChatGPT’s response — always as a website link button, always tailored to the topic of the question.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2026/04/04/search-engine-land-chatgpt-ads-are-showing-up-a-lot/

Discover how to enhance your local business with top online advertising strategies! Don't miss this essential read for marketers. Check it out here 👉 https://viralitycreative.com/top-online-advertising-strategies-local-business/ #LocalBusiness #MarketingTips #OnlineAdvertising

FYI: Reddit bots threaten ad quality - here's how the platform fights back: Reddit removes 100,000 bot accounts daily, threatening its $726M ad platform's authenticity. A new [App] label system aims to restore advertiser trust. https://ppc.land/reddit-bots-threaten-ad-quality-heres-how-the-platform-fights-back/ #Reddit #DigitalMarketing #AdCampaigns #SocialMedia #OnlineAdvertising

ICYMI: Brave blocks your ads and sells its own - and it's working: Brave browser grew from 80M to 109M monthly active users while selling its own ads after blocking publishers' - Jean-Paul Schmetz explains the model in detail. https://ppc.land/brave-blocks-your-ads-and-sells-its-own-and-its-working/ #BraveBrowser #AdBlockers #DigitalMarketing #Privacy #OnlineAdvertising

Google Marketing Platform gets the Gemini Advantage

Google’s Gemini models now sit at the heart of its marketing stack, helping brands predict where customers will go next across streaming, search and shopping.

https://gadgetbond.com/google-marketing-platform-gemini-advantage-newfront-2026/

YouTube rebranded BrandConnect to Creator Partnerships at NewFronts 2026

As creator sponsorships surge on YouTube, Creator Partnerships steps in to help brands scale beyond mega‑channels and work efficiently with mid‑tier voices.

https://gadgetbond.com/youtube-creator-partnerships-newfronts-2026/

Search Engine Land: YouTube tests sticky banner after ad skip. “YouTube is testing a sticky banner overlay that appears once a user skips an ad. Instead of the ad disappearing entirely, a branded card remains on-screen until the viewer actively dismisses it.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2026/03/19/search-engine-land-youtube-tests-sticky-banner-after-ad-skip/

ZDNet: There’s an easy way to skip YouTube’s new unskippable ads, but you may not like it. “The ads, which can be 6, 15, or 30 seconds long (Google AI will decide which length is appropriate in which instance), are designed to ‘ensure your message is delivered in its entirety,’ Google says. However, viewers on the receiving end of these ads are using words like unsufferable, miserable, […]

https://rbfirehose.com/2026/03/17/zdnet-theres-an-easy-way-to-skip-youtubes-new-unskippable-ads-but-you-may-not-like-it/

ZDNet: A Meta-powered investment scam is spreading across 25 countries – how to spot (and avoid) it. “Malvertising — the practice of using fake ads and websites in scams — is nothing new. However, several noteworthy insights emerged from the report regarding how a sprawling, coordinated network is using sponsored and paid Meta advertising to reach new victims on every corner of the globe.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2026/03/17/zdnet-a-meta-powered-investment-scam-is-spreading-across-25-countries-how-to-spot-and-avoid-it/