Amazon announced a new program called Amazon Ad Retail Service that lets other retailers use its advertising technology to showcase ads on their own websites. The service enables retailers to manage product ads on their search, browse, and product pages to help...
Shopifreaks
#208 – Amazon will manage your ads, Meta ends fact checking, & Automattic retreats from WordPress contributions
Hi Shopifreaks It's only my second edition of 2025, and I can already tell you with confidence that this is going to be one of the biggest editions of the year! Between a looming TikTok ban, tech companies adapting to the new political landscape ahead, and even more...
Apple agrees to pay $95M to settle Siri privacy lawsuit
Apple agreed to pay $95M to settle a 5 year old lawsuit accusing the company of deploying its virtual assistant Siri to eavesdrop on people using iPhones and other Siri-enabled devices. The Wood Law Firm, which specializes in class-action lawsuits, originally filed...
US companies no longer allowed to send bulk data to certain countries
The US Department of Justice issued a final rule on Executive Order 14117, which President Joe Biden signed in February 2024, preventing the movement of US citizens' data to a number of “countries of concern,” which not-surprisingly includes China (including Hong Kong...
An update on the Bench fiasco
Last week I reported (story #3) that Bench, a Canadian accounting software platform that helps customers store and manage their bookkeeping and tax reporting documents, abruptly shut down, leaving their customers without access to their data. I noted that something...
X to introduce X Money and X TV in 2025
X is set to further transform itself in 2025 with the introduction of financial services under “X Money” and a streaming platform called “X TV,” according to CEO Linda Yaccarino. Yaccarino revealed the company's 2025 roadmap in a New Year's post on X, highlighting...
Shopify faces a $60M lawsuit over critical platform failures
Shopify is facing a $60M lawsuit brought by Redline Steel, a US-based home decor brand, which accuses the company of severe technical mismanagement and negligence that allegedly led to the collapse of its operations. The lawsuit highlights several critical failures by...
Meta removes its “creepy and unnecessary” AI characters
Last week I reported that Meta was aiming to have Facebook filled with AI-generated characters to drive up engagement on its platform, as part of its broader rollout of AI products. Meta VP of product for gen-AI, Connor Hayes, said, “We expect these AIs to actually,...
Content creators are suing Honey
Two weeks ago I reported (story #6) on The Honey Influencer Scam. Quick Recap: MegaLag, a New Zealand YouTuber who creates investigative and technology-focused content, published a video entitled Exposing the Honey Influencer Scam, investigating the money-saving...
Net neutrality efforts hit with a major blow
A federal appeals court struck down the FCC’s landmark net neutrality rules, ending a nearly two-decade effort to regulate broadband Internet providers as utilities. Backstory: Net neutrality is the principle that Internet service providers must treat all online...
#207 – Net neutrality, AI Profiles, & Honey’s getting sued
Hi Shopifreaks Well, well, well.... 2025. Here we are! Who knew 25 years ago, when our evenings were spent talking with friends on AIM and ICQ and Y2K was set to destroy the world as we knew it, that a mere two and a half decades later we'd be talking to AI chatbots,...
Creators sue PayPal over browser extension Honey, alleging theft of trade secrets
A group of content creators have filed a lawsuit against PayPal, claiming that the company's popular browser extension, Honey, stole trade secrets and used them to create a competing product. The creators allege that PayPal acquired Honey in 2019 with the intention of...
Dating Wrapped: TikTok users are crunching the numbers on their dating life
TikTok users are taking advantage of the app's data visualization tools to analyze their dating life. By creating charts and graphs, users are able to track their dating patterns, preferences, and success rates. This trend has sparked a new form of self-reflection and...
Meta Deletes AI-Powered Facebook, Instagram Profiles Following Criticism
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced that it will delete millions of user profiles from its platforms that were created using AI technology. This decision follows criticism of the algorithm used to generate these profiles, which were accused...
Zepto plans to go public with marketplace model for quick commerce
Quick commerce startup Zepto to file IPO draft papers by March-April, transitioning to a marketplace model for faster growth in the Indian market.
Meta Pulls AI Chatbot Accounts After Backlash Over Deceptive Profiles and Fake Identities
Meta faced intense criticism after deploying AI-generated accounts with misleading profiles, including fabricated personal histories and identities. Following user backlash over inaccuracies, emotional manipulation, and ethical concerns, Meta admitted the accounts...
Amazon offers incentives for merchants to stop selling on Temu
Amazon is offering incentives like free advertising and lower commissions if merchants agree to stop selling on Temu, according to managers at two large China-based merchants. Amazon has also started removing Buy Now buttons from product listings when it discovers...
Shein joins the CBP’s Section 321 Data Pilot program
Shein is participating in the US Customs and Border Protection Section 321 Data Pilot program, which is designed to speed up low-cost e-commerce deliveries while preventing illegal or hazardous goods from slipping through customs. Shein voluntarily joined the...