The endgame for AI chatbots was always integration of targeted ads, but Meta plans to do more than make Meta AI just another arm of its internet-spanning data collection network. The plan is for the chatbot to eventually function as a shopping assistant that can search for products and put them into shopping carts.
A new report from ad evaluation firm Adalytics finds that some of YouTube’s targeted ads are still slipping through the cracks, and potentially violating federal child privacy law. The revelation has prompted two US Senators to write a letter to the FTC.
Since the GDPR went into effect in 2018, Meta has done nearly everything possible to claim legitimate interest to avoid user consent for collecting personal information for targeted ads. The company appears to have finally reached the end of its rope in this area, though a recently announced changeover to a consent basis.
AT&T is considering offering cheap phone plans that would give users a discount on their monthly phone bill in return for receiving targeted ads.




