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If you're having trouble viewing this email, you can see it online, https:/=
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Before we start, did you see our Wednesday email about Nov. 13's Checkmate =
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e today and join our community!
OpenWeb=E2=80=99s secret relationship with Steve Bannon

Something interesting is going on with OpenWeb.

The ad exchange has built a niche for itself in the advertising business: =
=E2=80=9Csaving online conversations=E2=80=9D from hate, lies and disinform=
ation. They=E2=80=99ve gone on the record to say that they would never work=
with Breitbart. And they=E2=80=99ve made a big show of being big on brand =
safety.

But since at least April, they=E2=80=99ve been monetizing a different Steve=
Bannon production: Populist Press. And they appear to be doing it under a =
fake account designed to throw advertisers off the scent.

The ad industry agrees on one thing and one thing only: Steve Bannon is tox=
ic. So what=E2=80=99s the deal between Bannon and OpenWeb?
What happened?

We like to periodically check in on OpenWeb. The ad exchange promises to =
=E2=80=9Csolve the toxicity crisis=E2=80=9D, but we always find them making=
money off exactly that.

It=E2=80=99s no different this time. On October 19, we found OpenWeb partne=
ring with a handful of toxic outlets =E2=80=94 including EU sanctioned Russ=
ian state media. Some of these accounts went live in April 2023, well after=
the invasion of Ukraine began.

We flagged the following accounts:

Pravda (SellerID: c95d1d8f09af9fd89e31da8fa114a869)

Russia Today/RT.com (SellerID: be4ff89855f9dfd89623ad03c8d36ad0)

We also found OpenWeb accounts for:

Breitbart (SellerID: ee89c82b03533e7f7cd78999df1cedd5)

Populist Press (now known as Political Signal)

Following our tweets, OpenWeb dropped Pravda, RT and Breitbart from their i=
nventory by the next business day. But they kept Populist Press.

Now, Populist Press=E2=80=99s ties to Bannon are so clear that it was demon=
etized by Google in May 2022 following the publication of a ProPublica inve=
stigation.

So what made OpenWeb pick it up? Why risk it all for a Bannon production?



An ad for Ivermectin served in Steve Bannon's email, Political Signal, by J=
eeng, a subsidiary of OpenWeb.
OpenWeb might be faking its Bannon account

The answer could be that they hoped nobody would find out.

OpenWeb does not declare their partnership with Populist Press to advertise=
rs in its sellers.json directory, a publicly listed file of publishers that=
each ad exchange maintains for its clients.

Alternatively, it=E2=80=99s possible that they=E2=80=99re working with the =
outlet through a falsely labeled account. OpenWeb lists a partnership with =
Augusta Partners in its AdYouLike inventory (acquired by OpenWeb last year)=
:



AdYouLike's sellers.json file, showing Augusta Partners.

Let=E2=80=99s translate this for a second. An honest sellers.json entry wil=
l tell you the website and the owner of the site.

This OpenWeb sellers.json entry is nonsense. Augusta Partners does not own =
ProtonMail. And ProtonMail =E2=80=94 a paid email service =E2=80=94 doesn=
=E2=80=99t even run ads.

In the ad industry, this is known as =E2=80=9Cmislabeling.=E2=80=9D A misla=
beled account allows you to disguise the true identity of the websites you=
=E2=80=99re working with. It=E2=80=99s a form of advertiser fraud.

OpenWeb may want advertisers to believe they=E2=80=99re running ads for Pro=
tonMail. However, we think this account may actually belong to =E2=80=9CAug=
ust Partners.=E2=80=9D

This would line up with a handful of data points:

August Partners belongs to the Sheas, Bannon=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9CWe Build th=
e Wall=E2=80=9D initiative partners

Populist Press began running OpenWeb ads on April 20, 2023 (Note: =E2=80=9C=
Jeeng=E2=80=9D is OpenWeb=E2=80=99s email monetization product)

OpenWeb added the Augusta Partners account to its AdYouLike inventory on Ap=
ril 22, 2023



Does OpenWeb have an under-the-table partnership with Bannon=E2=80=99s outl=
et? It=E2=80=99s possible. We=E2=80=99re just glad subscribing to Populist =
Press=E2=80=99s newsletter for years is finally coming in handy.
OpenWeb: =E2=80=9CBrand safety=E2=80=9D will have to wait till next year

OpenWeb founder and CEO Nadav Shoval has not responded to a request for com=
ment.

However, OpenWeb quietly published a blog post on Oct. 30: Our Approach to =
Safety and Content Moderation. It appears to be a response to our findings:=
they just haven=E2=80=99t gotten around to brand safety yet.

=E2=80=9CWe acquired two companies, AdYouLike and Jeeng, to diversify monet=
ization channels for our publisher partners. =E2=80=A6 With these acquisiti=
ons, we are working to apply our Global Publisher and Moderation Policies t=
o the acquired entities.=E2=80=9D

They also say they will begin enforcement of their brand safety agreements =
across acquired business units by the end of Q2 in 2024. In other words, cl=
ients should expect OpenWeb to continue running their ads on toxic and pote=
ntially illegal websites for at least the next six months.

OpenWeb has already owned AdYouLike for over a year. This makes us wonder: =
Have they only started checking their acquisitions=E2=80=99 inventories bec=
ause we called them out?
A short history of OpenWeb=E2=80=99s brand safety

We have no reason to be optimistic about OpenWeb=E2=80=99s ability to enfor=
ce anything. The company has a long history of getting found out (by us) =
=E2=80=94 and scrambling to maintain their marketing facade:

JULY 2021: We found OpenWeb partnering with numerous sites containing hate,=
racism and disinformation, including The Post Millennial and Revolver News=
.

JULY 2021: Around the same time, the Goldberg told Gizmodo that they declin=
ed to partner with Breitbart because it doesn=E2=80=99t meet the platform=
=E2=80=99s content standards

AUGUST 2021: OpenWeb announced they were axing 50 toxic sites from their in=
ventory following an internal audit. They said the cuts represented about $=
500,000 in lost revenue.

AUGUST 2021: OpenWeb announces they=E2=80=99re joining the WFA=E2=80=99s Gl=
obal Alliance for Responsible Media, in an effort to play up their commitme=
nt to brand safety. They also say they=E2=80=99re partnering with the Globa=
l Disinformation Index to proactively identify disinformation in their inve=
ntory.

DECEMBER 2021: OpenWeb announces they=E2=80=99re incorporating Newsguard, a=
media ratings company, into their inventory quality process.

APRIL 2022: OpenWeb acquired the ad exchange AdYouLike in a $100 million de=
al.

APRIL 2022: We find AdYouLike monetizing Russian propaganda website RT. Ope=
nWeb drops the site from AdYouLike=E2=80=99s inventory

SEPTEMBER 2022: OpenWeb starts a new active partnership with RT.

JANUARY 2023: OpenWeb buys Jeeng =E2=80=94 a platform that monetizes email =
newsletters =E2=80=94 for $100 million.

APRIL 2023: OpenWeb adds Breitbart to AdYouLike=E2=80=99s inventory.

OCTOBER 2023: We find OpenWeb partnering with Pravda, RT, Breitbart, and Po=
pulist Press.

OCTOBER 2023: OpenWeb publishes its blog post on safety and content moderat=
ion.

OpenWeb isn=E2=80=99t solving the =E2=80=9Ccrisis of toxicity=E2=80=9D anyt=
ime soon.
The Action

We shouldn=E2=80=99t have to wait six months for OpenWeb to stop funding a =
Steve Bannon website. Help us reach out directly to company executives.

Click here to open up an email pre-filled with text to send them, or manual=
ly enter the text below:

Email: nadav@openweb, [email protected].

Subject: OpenWeb and Steve Bannon?

Body:

Hi Nadav,

I just learned that OpenWeb is running ads for Steve Bannon-affiliated webs=
ite Populist Press. This website clearly doesn=E2=80=99t meet your standard=
s. I=E2=80=99m aware that you plan to start reviewing your inventory next y=
ear. This means you will be funding Populist Press for at least the next si=
x months.

Is there a reason you can=E2=80=99t review Populist Press and remove it fro=
m your inventory now?

Thank you for your time,

[Name]

Let us know if you hear back =E2=80=94 and we=E2=80=99ll do the same.

Hugs,

Claire & Nandini

This email was sent to [email protected]. Click here to [link removed]
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acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;">
<div style=3D"border-radius: 5px; -webkit-border-radius: 5px=
; -moz-border-radius: 5px; width: 100%; float: center; background-color: #f=
fffff; margin-left: 0; padding: 10px; text-align: center;">=20
<p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sa=
ns-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: l=
eft; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom:=
10px;"><span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;"><em>Before we start, did you see o=
ur Wednesday email about <a title=3D"Nov. 13's Checkmate Call" draggable=3D=
"false" href=3D"[link removed]
ChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitvX-wSF_PXke6=
As5n25aaos=3D" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noopener" style=3D"color: #0074d9; =
text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; =
line-height: 1.5;">Nov. 13's Checkmate Call</a> with a special guest? If yo=
u're already a recurring donor, check your inbox for your invite. If you're=
not but want to join us, <a title=3D"become a Checkmate today" draggable=
=3D"false" href=3D"[link removed]
jeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitgtHqVpg9O=
bCpS5rkfkDdaI=3D" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noopener" style=3D"color: #0074d=
9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: lef=
t; line-height: 1.5;">become a Checkmate today</a> and join our community!<=
/em></span></p>=20
</div></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;"><h3 st=
yle=3D"padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 130=
%; color: inherit; word-wrap: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-bottom: 10px=
; Margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 28px; font-family: Montserrat, Verdana, s=
ans-serif;"><strong><span style=3D"font-size: 20pt;">OpenWeb=E2=80=99s secr=
et relationship with Steve Bannon</span></strong></h3></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;">
<div id=3D"defanged75" class=3D"u-article u-containFloats">=
=20
<div id=3D"defanged75" class=3D"u-article u-containFloats">=
=20
<p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,s=
ans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom=
: 10px;">Something interesting is going on with OpenWeb.</p>=20
<p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,s=
ans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom=
: 10px;">The ad exchange has built a niche for itself in the advertising bu=
siness: =E2=80=9Csaving online conversations=E2=80=9D from hate, lies and d=
isinformation. They=E2=80=99ve gone on the record to say that they would ne=
ver work with Breitbart. And they=E2=80=99ve made a big show of being big o=
n brand safety.</p>=20
<p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,s=
ans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom=
: 10px;">But since at least April, they=E2=80=99ve been monetizing a differ=
ent Steve Bannon production: Populist Press. And they appear to be doing it=
under a fake account designed to throw advertisers off the scent.</p>=20
<p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,s=
ans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom=
: 10px;">The ad industry agrees on one thing and one thing only: Steve Bann=
on is toxic. So what=E2=80=99s the deal between Bannon and OpenWeb?</p>=20
</div>=20
</div></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;"><h5 st=
yle=3D"padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 130=
%; color: inherit; word-wrap: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-bottom: 10px=
; Margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 19px; font-family: Montserrat, Verdana, s=
ans-serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 16pt;"><strong>What happened?</strong=
></span></h5> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans=
-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: lef=
t; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 1=
0px;">We like to periodically check in on OpenWeb. The ad exchange promises=
to =E2=80=9Csolve the toxicity crisis=E2=80=9D, but we always find them ma=
king money off exactly that.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: a=
rial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin:=
0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10p=
x; Margin-bottom: 10px;">It=E2=80=99s no different this time. On October 19=
, we found OpenWeb partnering with a handful of toxic outlets =E2=80=94&nbs=
p;including EU sanctioned Russian state media. Some of these accounts went =
live in April 2023, well after the invasion of Ukraine began.</p> <p style=
=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 4=
00; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; li=
ne-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">We <a href=3D"ht=
tps://api.neonemails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/etjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad6=
2hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitilFzpydX8kj5F97UQRiUFY=3D" sty=
le=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding:=
0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">flagged the following accounts</a>=
:</p>=20
<ul style=3D"list-style-position: inside; Margin: 0 0 10px 0=
; padding: 0 0 0 10px;">=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">Pravda (SellerID: <a href=
=3D"[link removed]
8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitmEWms_3bB-2nFPKcgX7dGY=
=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; =
padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">c95d1d8f09af9fd89e31da8fa1=
14a869</a>)</li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">Russia Today/RT.com (Seller=
ID: <a href=3D"[link removed]
hjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHituzaYEowwMFTot=
_ODpz665E=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: =
inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">be4ff89855f9dfd89=
623ad03c8d36ad0</a>)</li>=20
</ul> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helveti=
ca,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-ali=
gn: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bo=
ttom: 10px;">We also found OpenWeb accounts for:</p>=20
<ul style=3D"list-style-position: inside; Margin: 0 0 10px 0=
; padding: 0 0 0 10px;">=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">Breitbart (SellerID: <a hre=
f=3D"[link removed]
K8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitnl_xwfhSubEAvzr9dK3yHc=
=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; =
padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">ee89c82b03533e7f7cd78999df=
1cedd5</a>)</li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">Populist Press (now known a=
s Political Signal)</li>=20
</ul> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helveti=
ca,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-ali=
gn: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bo=
ttom: 10px;">Following our tweets, OpenWeb dropped Pravda, RT and Breitbart=
from their inventory by the next business day. But they kept Populist Pres=
s.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;=
font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font=
-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">N=
ow, Populist Press=E2=80=99s ties to Bannon are so clear that it was <a hre=
f=3D"[link removed]
K8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHittJUI3NeLQSA8C10KLR8aKI=
=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; =
padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">demonetized by Google in M=
ay 2022</a> following the publication of <a href=3D"[link removed]
com/emails/tracking/click-link/etjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=
=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHito0uQAWRBUjcrz7B3nFkqMw=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9=
; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left=
; line-height: 1.5;">a ProPublica investigation</a>.</p> <p style=3D"color:=
#3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; paddin=
g: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height:=
1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">So what made OpenWeb pick =
it up? Why risk it all for a Bannon production?</p></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last image" styl=
e=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-famil=
y: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: le=
ft; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; word=
-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; =
border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;">
<figure class style=3D"margin: 0 0 1rem; Margin: 0 0 1rem;">
<!--[if mso]><center><![end-if]-->
<img class=3D"align-center" draggable=3D"false" src=3D"http=
s://checkmyads.app.neoncrm.com/neon/resource/checkmyads/images/bannonjeeng.=
png" alt=3D"bannonjeeng.png" width=3D"600" align=3D"center" style=3D"outlin=
e: none; text-decoration: none; -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; max-width:=
100%; clear: both; display: block; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; float: =
none; text-align: center; height: auto;"><!--[if mso]></center><![end-if]--=
>
</figure></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;"><p sty=
le=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight:=
400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; =
line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;"><em><span styl=
e=3D"font-size: small;">An ad for Ivermectin served in Steve Bannon's email=
, Political Signal, by Jeeng, a subsidiary of OpenWeb.</span></em></p></th>=
=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;"><h5 st=
yle=3D"padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 130=
%; color: inherit; word-wrap: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-bottom: 10px=
; Margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 19px; font-family: Montserrat, Verdana, s=
ans-serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 16pt;"><strong>OpenWeb might be fakin=
g its Bannon account</strong></span></h5> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-=
family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0=
; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bo=
ttom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">The answer could be that they hoped nobod=
y would find out.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvet=
ica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-al=
ign: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-b=
ottom: 10px;">OpenWeb does not declare their partnership with Populist Pres=
s to advertisers in its sellers.json directory, a publicly listed file of p=
ublishers that each ad exchange maintains for its clients.</p> <p style=3D"=
color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; =
padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-h=
eight: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">Alternatively, it=E2=
=80=99s possible that they=E2=80=99re working with the outlet through a fal=
sely labeled account. OpenWeb lists a partnership with Augusta Partners in =
its <a href=3D"[link removed]
hjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitpI8ZE4xwLIf5u=
WZ9FPXHls=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: =
inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">AdYouLike invento=
ry</a> (acquired by OpenWeb last year):</p></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last image" styl=
e=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-famil=
y: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: le=
ft; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; word=
-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; =
border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;">
<figure class style=3D"margin: 0 0 1rem; Margin: 0 0 1rem;">
<!--[if mso]><center><![end-if]-->
<img class=3D"align-center" src=3D"[link removed]
eoncrm.com/neon/resource/checkmyads/images/adyoulikesellerjson.png" alt=3D"=
A screenshot of AdYouLike's sellers.json that shows Augusta Partners" width=
=3D"600" align=3D"center" style=3D"outline: none; text-decoration: none; -m=
s-interpolation-mode: bicubic; max-width: 100%; clear: both; display: block=
; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; float: none; text-align: center; height: =
auto;"><!--[if mso]></center><![end-if]-->
</figure></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;"><p sty=
le=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight:=
400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; =
line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;"><em><span styl=
e=3D"font-size: small;">AdYouLike's sellers.json file, showing Augusta Part=
ners.</span></em></p></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;"><p sty=
le=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight:=
400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; =
line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">Let=E2=80=99s =
translate this for a second. An honest sellers.json entry will tell you the=
website and the owner of the site.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-fa=
mily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; =
Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bott=
om: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">This OpenWeb sellers.json entry is nonsense=
. Augusta Partners does not own ProtonMail. And ProtonMail =E2=80=94&nbsp;a=
paid email service =E2=80=94&nbsp;doesn=E2=80=99t even run ads.</p> <p sty=
le=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight:=
400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; =
line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">In the ad indu=
stry, this is known as =E2=80=9Cmislabeling.=E2=80=9D A mislabeled account =
allows you to disguise the true identity of the websites you=E2=80=99re wor=
king with. It=E2=80=99s a form of advertiser fraud.</p> <p style=3D"color: =
#3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding=
: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: =
1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">OpenWeb may want advertiser=
s to believe they=E2=80=99re running ads for ProtonMail. However, we think =
this account may actually belong to =E2=80=9CAugust Partners.=E2=80=9D</p> =
<p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-w=
eight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: =
12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">This wou=
ld line up with a handful of data points:</p>=20
<ul style=3D"list-style-position: inside; Margin: 0 0 10px 0=
; padding: 0 0 0 10px;">=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;"><a href=3D"[link removed]
emails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/etjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQ=
LO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHiti6UEfoULAf6DJjGO4fNYyw=3D" style=3D"color: #=
0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align=
: left; line-height: 1.5;">August Partners belongs to the Sheas</a>, Bannon=
=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9CWe Build the Wall=E2=80=9D initiative partners</li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">Populist Press began runnin=
g OpenWeb ads on April 20, 2023 (Note: =E2=80=9CJeeng=E2=80=9D is OpenWeb=
=E2=80=99s email monetization product)</li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">OpenWeb added the Augusta P=
artners account to its AdYouLike inventory on April 22, 2023</li>=20
</ul></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last image" styl=
e=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-famil=
y: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: le=
ft; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; word=
-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; =
border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;">
<figure class style=3D"margin: 0 0 1rem; Margin: 0 0 1rem;">
<!--[if mso]><center><![end-if]-->
<img class=3D"align-center" src=3D"[link removed]
eoncrm.com/neon/resource/checkmyads/images/butwaitmore.png" alt=3D"butwaitm=
ore.png" width=3D"447" align=3D"center" style=3D"outline: none; text-decora=
tion: none; -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; max-width: 100%; clear: both; =
display: block; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; float: none; text-align: ce=
nter; height: auto;"><!--[if mso]></center><![end-if]-->
</figure></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;"><p sty=
le=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight:=
400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; =
line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">Does OpenWeb h=
ave an under-the-table partnership with Bannon=E2=80=99s outlet? It=E2=80=
=99s possible. We=E2=80=99re just glad subscribing to Populist Press=E2=80=
=99s newsletter for years is finally coming in handy.</p></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;"><h5 st=
yle=3D"padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 130=
%; color: inherit; word-wrap: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-bottom: 10px=
; Margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 19px; font-family: Montserrat, Verdana, s=
ans-serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 16pt;"><strong>OpenWeb: =E2=80=9CBran=
d safety=E2=80=9D will have to wait till next year</strong></span></h5> <p =
style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weig=
ht: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12p=
t; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">OpenWeb fou=
nder and CEO Nadav Shoval has not responded to a request for comment.</p> <=
p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-we=
ight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 1=
2pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">However, =
OpenWeb quietly published a blog post on Oct. 30: <a href=3D"[link removed]
onemails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/etjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbg=
OQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitgkUXWfzZa-a_pmclWLhgH8=3D" style=3D"color:=
#0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-ali=
gn: left; line-height: 1.5;">Our Approach to Safety and Content Moderation<=
/a>. It appears to be a response to our findings: they just haven=E2=80=99t=
gotten around to brand safety yet.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-fa=
mily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; =
Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bott=
om: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">=E2=80=9CWe acquired two companies, AdYouLi=
ke and Jeeng, to diversify monetization channels for our publisher partners=
. =E2=80=A6 With these acquisitions, we are working to apply our Global Pub=
lisher and Moderation Policies to the acquired entities.=E2=80=9D</p> <p st=
yle=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight=
: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt;=
line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">They also say=
they will begin enforcement of their brand safety agreements across acquir=
ed business units by the end of Q2 in 2024. In other words, clients should =
expect OpenWeb to continue running their ads on toxic and potentially illeg=
al websites for at least the next six months.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c414=
4; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; m=
argin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; m=
argin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">OpenWeb has already owned AdYouLi=
ke for over a year. This makes us wonder: Have they only started checking t=
heir acquisitions=E2=80=99 inventories because we called them out?</p></th>=
=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;"><h5 st=
yle=3D"padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 130=
%; color: inherit; word-wrap: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-bottom: 10px=
; Margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 19px; font-family: Montserrat, Verdana, s=
ans-serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 16pt;"><strong>A short history of Ope=
nWeb=E2=80=99s brand safety</strong></span></h5> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144=
; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; ma=
rgin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; ma=
rgin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">We have no reason to be optimistic=
about OpenWeb=E2=80=99s ability to enforce anything. The company has a lon=
g history of getting found out (by us) =E2=80=94&nbsp;and scrambling to mai=
ntain their marketing facade:</p>=20
<ul style=3D"list-style-position: inside; Margin: 0 0 10px 0=
; padding: 0 0 0 10px;">=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">JULY 2021: We found OpenWeb=
partnering <a href=3D"[link removed]
k/etjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitk1el8=
BXk3cJGWR-YSyxVdI=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-=
weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">with nume=
rous sites</a> containing hate, racism and disinformation, including The Po=
st Millennial and Revolver News.</li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">JULY 2021: Around the same =
time, the Goldberg told Gizmodo that they declined to partner with Breitbar=
t because it doesn=E2=80=99t meet the platform=E2=80=99s content standards<=
/li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">AUGUST 2021: OpenWeb <a hre=
f=3D"[link removed]
K8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitmTpXYNoCEVZKtSIgAoT7Do=
=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; =
padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">announced they were axing =
50 toxic sites from their inventory</a> following an internal audit. They s=
aid the cuts represented about $500,000 in lost revenue.</li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">AUGUST 2021: OpenWeb announ=
ces they=E2=80=99re joining the WFA=E2=80=99s <a href=3D"[link removed]
ails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/etjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO=
1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitv31ES0n6jQhlYbWoRjQAJs=3D" style=3D"color: #00=
74d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; line-height: 1.5;">Global Alliance for Responsible Media</a>, in an e=
ffort to play up their commitment to brand safety. They also say they=E2=80=
=99re partnering with the <a href=3D"[link removed]
king/click-link/etjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF=
04M9OJHiti6E-u32DJeiwdJ7ZGYSnvw=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoratio=
n: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1=
.5;">Global Disinformation Index</a> to proactively identify disinformation=
in their inventory.</li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">DECEMBER 2021: OpenWeb anno=
unces they=E2=80=99re incorporating <a href=3D"[link removed]
mails/tracking/click-link/etjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQ=
rvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHithtijFNf9Bll5cDsvWamWrE=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text=
-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line=
-height: 1.5;">Newsguard</a>, a media ratings company, into their inventory=
quality process.</li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">APRIL 2022: <a href=3D"http=
s://api.neonemails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/etjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62h=
wWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitjHotnQkYG-DsRNr3Ba7L3g=3D" style=
=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0=
; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">OpenWeb acquired the ad exchange AdY=
ouLike</a> in a $100 million deal.</li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">APRIL 2022: We find AdYouLi=
ke monetizing Russian propaganda website RT. <a href=3D"[link removed]
ils.com/emails/tracking/click-link/etjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1=
QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitkvCRHrXvh_T7Pp6qnmkPTw=3D" style=3D"color: #007=
4d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: l=
eft; line-height: 1.5;">OpenWeb drops the site from AdYouLike=E2=80=99s inv=
entory</a></li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">SEPTEMBER 2022: OpenWeb sta=
rts a new active partnership with RT.</li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">JANUARY 2023: OpenWeb <a hr=
ef=3D"[link removed]
zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitnPR4by-lwYLL8D32kD0OnY=
=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; =
padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">buys Jeeng</a> =E2=80=94 a=
platform that monetizes email newsletters =E2=80=94 for $100 million.</li>=
=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">APRIL 2023: OpenWeb adds Br=
eitbart <a href=3D"[link removed]
jeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitqGRhI0upN=
dZyPRpN2hQIBs=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weig=
ht: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">to AdYouLike=
=E2=80=99s inventory.</a></li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">OCTOBER 2023: We find OpenW=
eb partnering with Pravda, RT, Breitbart, and Populist Press.</li>=20
<li style=3D"display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin=
: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; list-st=
yle: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">OCTOBER 2023: OpenWeb publi=
shes its <a href=3D"[link removed]
tjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitond8os7G=
_QKIRVgw1wnB_o=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-wei=
ght: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">blog post on=
safety and content moderation</a>.</li>=20
</ul> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helveti=
ca,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-ali=
gn: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bo=
ttom: 10px;">OpenWeb isn=E2=80=99t solving the =E2=80=9Ccrisis of toxicity=
=E2=80=9D anytime soon.</p></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;"><h3 st=
yle=3D"padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 130=
%; color: inherit; word-wrap: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-bottom: 10px=
; Margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 28px; font-family: Montserrat, Verdana, s=
ans-serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 16pt;"><strong>The Action</strong></s=
pan></h3> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-ser=
if; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; f=
ont-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;=
">We shouldn=E2=80=99t have to wait six months for OpenWeb to stop funding =
a Steve Bannon website. Help us reach out directly to company executives.</=
p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; fon=
t-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-siz=
e: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;"><a hr=
ef=3D"mailto:[email protected],[email protected]?subject=3DOpenWeb%20=
and%20Steve%20Bannon%3F&amp;body=3DHi%20Nadav%2C%0A%0AI%20just%20learned%20=
that%20OpenWeb%20is%20running%20ads%20for%20Steve%20Bannon-affiliated%20web=
site%20Populist%20Press.%20This%20website%20clearly%20doesn=E2=80=99t%20mee=
t%20your%20standards.%20I=E2=80=99m%20aware%20that%20you%20plan%20to%20star=
t%20reviewing%20your%20inventory%20next%20year.%20This%20means%20you%20will=
%20be%20funding%20Populist%20Press%20for%20at%20least%20the%20next%20six%20=
months.%0A%0AIs%20there%20a%20reason%20you%20can=E2=80=99t%20review%20Popul=
ist%20Press%20and%20remove%20it%20from%20your%20inventory%20now%3F%0A%0ATha=
nk%20you%20for%20your%20time%2C%0A%0A%5BName%5D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; t=
ext-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; l=
ine-height: 1.5;">Click here to open up an email pre-filled with text to se=
nd them</a>, or manually enter the text below:</p></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;"><p sty=
le=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight:=
400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; =
line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">Email: nadav@o=
penweb, <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" style=3D"color: #0074d9;=
text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left;=
line-height: 1.5;">[email protected]</a>.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c=
4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0=
; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5=
; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">Subject: OpenWeb and Steve Ban=
non?</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-seri=
f; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; fo=
nt-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;"=
>Body:</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-se=
rif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; =
font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px=
;">Hi Nadav,</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,s=
ans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom=
: 10px;">I just learned that OpenWeb is running ads for Steve Bannon-affili=
ated website Populist Press. This website clearly doesn=E2=80=99t meet your=
standards. I=E2=80=99m aware that you plan to start reviewing your invento=
ry next year. This means you will be funding Populist Press for at least th=
e next six months.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helve=
tica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-a=
lign: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-=
bottom: 10px;">Is there a reason you can=E2=80=99t review Populist Press an=
d remove it from your inventory now?</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-f=
amily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0;=
Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bot=
tom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">Thank you for your time,</p> <p style=3D"c=
olor: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; p=
adding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-he=
ight: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">[Name]</p></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row content-row-blockpadding" style=3D"border-sp=
acing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;=
padding: 0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; background-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif=
;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last default" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;"><p sty=
le=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight:=
400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; =
line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">Let us know if=
you hear back =E2=80=94 and we=E2=80=99ll do the same.</p> <p style=3D"col=
or: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; pad=
ding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-heig=
ht: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">Hugs,</p> <p style=3D"c=
olor: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; p=
adding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-he=
ight: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">Claire &amp; Nandini<=
/p></th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row end-row-footer" style=3D"border-spacing: 0; =
border-collapse: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; padding: =
0; position: relative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Margin: 0; b=
ackground-color: #F7F6EE; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last divider" st=
yle=3D"word-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-fam=
ily: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: =
left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
rd-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px=
; border-collapse: collapse; padding-bottom: 24px; padding-top: 0;">
<div>
<!--[if mso]><center><![end-if]-->=20
<div class=3D"titan__email-divider" style=3D"mso-line-heigh=
t-rule: exactly; line-height: 1pt; height: 1px; border-top-width: 2px; bord=
er-top-style: solid; border-top-color: #A8A29E; margin-top: 12px; margin-bo=
ttom: 12px;" data-color=3D"#A8A29E" data-thicknessnum=3D"2" data-dividersty=
le=3D"solid" data-topnum=3D"12" data-bottomnum=3D"12" data-height=3D"1" dat=
a-lineheight=3D"1">
&nbsp;
</div> <!--[if mso]></center><![end-if]-->
</div></th>=20
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</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row" style=3D"border-spacing: 0; border-collapse=
: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; padding: 0; position: re=
lative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Margin: 0; font-family: ari=
al,helvetica,sans-serif;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last" style=3D"w=
ord-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-family: ari=
al,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; font-size: 12p=
t; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; padding-top: 24px; pad=
ding-bottom: 24px; word-break: break-word; width: 564px; padding-left: 24px=
; padding-right: 24px; border-collapse: collapse; padding: 0;">=20
<center style=3D"width: 100%; min-width: 532px;"> <a href=3D=
"[link removed]
ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitibR-ZkFzmSXfjVtwpvpSlg=3D" =
target=3D"_blank" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weig=
ht: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5; margin: 5px; M=
argin: 5px;" title=3D"Facebook"> <img class=3D"email-icon" width=3D"24" src=
=3D"[link removed]" bord=
er=3D"0" alt=3D"Facebook" style=3D"outline: none; text-decoration: none; -m=
s-interpolation-mode: bicubic; max-width: 100%; clear: both; margin: 0 auto=
; Margin: 0 auto; float: none; text-align: center; border: none; display: i=
nline; margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; width: auto; object-fit: none; =
height: auto;"> </a> <a href=3D"[link removed]
click-link/etjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9O=
JHitmu7JkTS0VFlUc6lr6E67a0=3D" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"color: #0074d9; t=
ext-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; l=
ine-height: 1.5; margin: 5px; Margin: 5px;" title=3D"Instagram"> <img class=
=3D"email-icon" width=3D"24" src=3D"[link removed]
il/lighticons/Instagram.png" border=3D"0" alt=3D"Instagram" style=3D"outlin=
e: none; text-decoration: none; -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; max-width:=
100%; clear: both; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; float: none; text-align=
: center; border: none; display: inline; margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8p=
x; width: auto; object-fit: none; height: auto;"> </a> <a href=3D"[link removed]
pi.neonemails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/etjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7=
JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitmKQ1AWif9cPU8Z5XPuiG2Y=3D" target=3D"=
_blank" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inheri=
t; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5; margin: 5px; Margin: 5px=
;" title=3D"LinkedIn"> <img class=3D"email-icon" width=3D"24" src=3D"https:=
//neonstatic.s3.amazonaws.com/email/lighticons/LinkedIn.png" border=3D"0" a=
lt=3D"LinkedIn" style=3D"outline: none; text-decoration: none; -ms-interpol=
ation-mode: bicubic; max-width: 100%; clear: both; margin: 0 auto; Margin: =
0 auto; float: none; text-align: center; border: none; display: inline; mar=
gin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; width: auto; object-fit: none; height: au=
to;"> </a> <a href=3D"[link removed]
/etjeBChjUikR0m6zK8c8ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitvva8PL=
wb8aSUp6GyW4BCn8=3D" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decora=
tion: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height=
: 1.5; margin: 5px; Margin: 5px;" title=3D"Twitter"> <img class=3D"email-ic=
on" width=3D"24" src=3D"[link removed]
s/Twitter.png" border=3D"0" alt=3D"Twitter" style=3D"outline: none; text-de=
coration: none; -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; max-width: 100%; clear: bo=
th; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; float: none; text-align: center; border=
: none; display: inline; margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; width: auto; =
object-fit: none; height: auto;"> </a>=20
</center> </th>=20
</tr>=20
</tbody>
</table>=20
<table class=3D"row" style=3D"border-spacing: 0; border-collapse=
: collapse; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; padding: 0; position: re=
lative; width: 100%; display: table; margin: 0; Margin: 0; font-family: ari=
al,helvetica,sans-serif;">=20
<tbody>
<tr style=3D"padding: 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left=
;">=20
<th class=3D"columns small-12 large-12 first last" style=3D"w=
ord-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: top; color: #3c4144; font-family: ari=
al,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; text-align: left; ma=
rgin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; padding-bottom: 24px; word-break: break-word;=
width: 564px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; font-size: 14px; li=
ne-height: 2em; border-collapse: collapse; padding-top: 10px;">=20
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This email was sent to [email protected]. <a href=3D=
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ad62hwWdq7JKBbgOQLO1QXk=3D/NQrvZvhhB5PF04M9OJHitsm0A9OXW7Vg1EEV68_cfA0=3D" =
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<img src=3D"[link removed]
orgId=3Dcheckmyads&amp;emailId&#61;ca11f66a504d48e546e1fefbfc72de78cm798574=
ca1&amp;targetUrl=3Dhttps://checkmyads.app.neoncrm.com/np/images/s.gif" wid=
th=3D"1" height=3D"1" border=3D"0">
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------=_Part_540649_1411530050.1699298437316--

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you can see it online, [link removed].
Before we start, did you see our Wednesday email about Nov. 13's Checkmate Call with a special guest? If you're already a recurring donor, check your inbox for your invite. If you're not but want to join us, become a Checkmate today and join our community!
OpenWeb’s secret relationship with Steve Bannon

Something interesting is going on with OpenWeb.

The ad exchange has built a niche for itself in the advertising business: “saving online conversations” from hate, lies and disinformation. They’ve gone on the record to say that they would never work with Breitbart. And they’ve made a big show of being big on brand safety.

But since at least April, they’ve been monetizing a different Steve Bannon production: Populist Press. And they appear to be doing it under a fake account designed to throw advertisers off the scent.

The ad industry agrees on one thing and one thing only: Steve Bannon is toxic. So what’s the deal between Bannon and OpenWeb?
What happened?

We like to periodically check in on OpenWeb. The ad exchange promises to “solve the toxicity crisis”, but we always find them making money off exactly that.

It’s no different this time. On October 19, we found OpenWeb partnering with a handful of toxic outlets — including EU sanctioned Russian state media. Some of these accounts went live in April 2023, well after the invasion of Ukraine began.

We flagged the following accounts:

Pravda (SellerID: c95d1d8f09af9fd89e31da8fa114a869)

Russia Today/RT.com (SellerID: be4ff89855f9dfd89623ad03c8d36ad0)

We also found OpenWeb accounts for:

Breitbart (SellerID: ee89c82b03533e7f7cd78999df1cedd5)

Populist Press (now known as Political Signal)

Following our tweets, OpenWeb dropped Pravda, RT and Breitbart from their inventory by the next business day. But they kept Populist Press.

Now, Populist Press’s ties to Bannon are so clear that it was demonetized by Google in May 2022 following the publication of a ProPublica investigation.

So what made OpenWeb pick it up? Why risk it all for a Bannon production?



An ad for Ivermectin served in Steve Bannon's email, Political Signal, by Jeeng, a subsidiary of OpenWeb.
OpenWeb might be faking its Bannon account

The answer could be that they hoped nobody would find out.

OpenWeb does not declare their partnership with Populist Press to advertisers in its sellers.json directory, a publicly listed file of publishers that each ad exchange maintains for its clients.

Alternatively, it’s possible that they’re working with the outlet through a falsely labeled account. OpenWeb lists a partnership with Augusta Partners in its AdYouLike inventory (acquired by OpenWeb last year):



AdYouLike's sellers.json file, showing Augusta Partners.

Let’s translate this for a second. An honest sellers.json entry will tell you the website and the owner of the site.

This OpenWeb sellers.json entry is nonsense. Augusta Partners does not own ProtonMail. And ProtonMail — a paid email service — doesn’t even run ads.

In the ad industry, this is known as “mislabeling.” A mislabeled account allows you to disguise the true identity of the websites you’re working with. It’s a form of advertiser fraud.

OpenWeb may want advertisers to believe they’re running ads for ProtonMail. However, we think this account may actually belong to “August Partners.”

This would line up with a handful of data points:

August Partners belongs to the Sheas, Bannon’s “We Build the Wall” initiative partners

Populist Press began running OpenWeb ads on April 20, 2023 (Note: “Jeeng” is OpenWeb’s email monetization product)

OpenWeb added the Augusta Partners account to its AdYouLike inventory on April 22, 2023



Does OpenWeb have an under-the-table partnership with Bannon’s outlet? It’s possible. We’re just glad subscribing to Populist Press’s newsletter for years is finally coming in handy.
OpenWeb: “Brand safety” will have to wait till next year

OpenWeb founder and CEO Nadav Shoval has not responded to a request for comment.

However, OpenWeb quietly published a blog post on Oct. 30: Our Approach to Safety and Content Moderation. It appears to be a response to our findings: they just haven’t gotten around to brand safety yet.

“We acquired two companies, AdYouLike and Jeeng, to diversify monetization channels for our publisher partners. … With these acquisitions, we are working to apply our Global Publisher and Moderation Policies to the acquired entities.”

They also say they will begin enforcement of their brand safety agreements across acquired business units by the end of Q2 in 2024. In other words, clients should expect OpenWeb to continue running their ads on toxic and potentially illegal websites for at least the next six months.

OpenWeb has already owned AdYouLike for over a year. This makes us wonder: Have they only started checking their acquisitions’ inventories because we called them out?
A short history of OpenWeb’s brand safety

We have no reason to be optimistic about OpenWeb’s ability to enforce anything. The company has a long history of getting found out (by us) — and scrambling to maintain their marketing facade:

JULY 2021: We found OpenWeb partnering with numerous sites containing hate, racism and disinformation, including The Post Millennial and Revolver News.

JULY 2021: Around the same time, the Goldberg told Gizmodo that they declined to partner with Breitbart because it doesn’t meet the platform’s content standards

AUGUST 2021: OpenWeb announced they were axing 50 toxic sites from their inventory following an internal audit. They said the cuts represented about $500,000 in lost revenue.

AUGUST 2021: OpenWeb announces they’re joining the WFA’s Global Alliance for Responsible Media, in an effort to play up their commitment to brand safety. They also say they’re partnering with the Global Disinformation Index to proactively identify disinformation in their inventory.

DECEMBER 2021: OpenWeb announces they’re incorporating Newsguard, a media ratings company, into their inventory quality process.

APRIL 2022: OpenWeb acquired the ad exchange AdYouLike in a $100 million deal.

APRIL 2022: We find AdYouLike monetizing Russian propaganda website RT. OpenWeb drops the site from AdYouLike’s inventory

SEPTEMBER 2022: OpenWeb starts a new active partnership with RT.

JANUARY 2023: OpenWeb buys Jeeng — a platform that monetizes email newsletters — for $100 million.

APRIL 2023: OpenWeb adds Breitbart to AdYouLike’s inventory.

OCTOBER 2023: We find OpenWeb partnering with Pravda, RT, Breitbart, and Populist Press.

OCTOBER 2023: OpenWeb publishes its blog post on safety and content moderation.

OpenWeb isn’t solving the “crisis of toxicity” anytime soon.
The Action

We shouldn’t have to wait six months for OpenWeb to stop funding a Steve Bannon website. Help us reach out directly to company executives.

Click here to open up an email pre-filled with text to send them, or manually enter the text below:

Email: nadav@openweb, [email protected].

Subject: OpenWeb and Steve Bannon?

Body:

Hi Nadav,

I just learned that OpenWeb is running ads for Steve Bannon-affiliated website Populist Press. This website clearly doesn’t meet your standards. I’m aware that you plan to start reviewing your inventory next year. This means you will be funding Populist Press for at least the next six months.

Is there a reason you can’t review Populist Press and remove it from your inventory now?

Thank you for your time,

[Name]

Let us know if you hear back — and we’ll do the same.

Hugs,

Claire & Nandini

This email was sent to [email protected]. Click here to [link removed].