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If you're having trouble viewing this email, you can see it online, https:/=
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eug=3D.
Check My Ads=E2=80=99 big wins in 2023, and what=E2=80=99s coming in 2024

Dear ,

First, thank you. Thank you for being part of our community. Thank you for =
using your voice to fight disinformation. Thank you for working to bring tr=
ansparency to adtech and, in doing so, defending democracy.

2023 was a huge year. We took the battle for adtech transparency to Google;=
met with policymakers in Canada, the US, and the EU; tackled the scourge o=
f Fox News; kept the pressure on Elon Musk; and basically reduced Tim Pool =
to selling coffee.

Here are the big bones we picked in 2023:


=F0=9F=A6=B4Google

Google runs the biggest digital ad exchange in the world. The $1.7 trillion=
company earns 80 percent of its revenue from ads, but the marketplace it s=
et up is murky and ripe for grift. Look no further than Breitbart to see ho=
w sites get around universal blocklists with Google=E2=80=99s help.

For years, Google=E2=80=99s line has been if you don=E2=80=99t want your ad=
s on Breitbart, block it yourself. But it=E2=80=99s not that easy. We expos=
ed how, through its Google Search Partner network, Google put major brands=
=E2=80=99 search ads on unsafe websites =E2=80=94 including Breitbart, wher=
e advertisers have specifically asked not to be.

After our report, Google stopped serving search ads on two of the sites we =
flagged =E2=80=94 but kept them on Breitbart. And then we found even more a=
ds on unsafe sites before Google took action after we called them out, agai=
n.

That wasn=E2=80=99t the only time Google surprised advertisers with where t=
hey dumped ads this year. We broke down how YouTube leads marketers to thin=
k they=E2=80=99re putting ads on YouTube but often sticking them on third-p=
arty websites and mobile apps called Google Video Partners. Too bad GVP is =
a toxic landscape of inventory that runs the gamut: hate sites, made for ad=
vertising clickbait, and even Russian state media.

And Google=E2=80=99s still trying to keep the billions it took from adverti=
sers with this scam. Oh yeah, and then it spent a week furiously denying a =
report about how it has secretly displayed violent ads meant for adults on =
kids=E2=80=99 YouTube channels, and then harvested children=E2=80=99s data =
without parental consent. Just another day when you=E2=80=99re a monopoly.



=F0=9F=A6=B4X/Twitter

This November, Check My Ads celebrated our second birthday the same day as =
the first anniversary of Elon Musk buying Twitter. We launched two years ag=
o with a promise to rip the beating heart out of the disinformation economy=
, and spent a lot of this year taking on Musk.

In May we dove into the fact that X, formerly Twitter, hasn=E2=80=99t magic=
ally become brand safe again just because the CEO of WPP =E2=80=94 one of t=
he world=E2=80=99s biggest advertising agency groups =E2=80=94 said that =
=E2=80=9CTwitter has become a lot more stable over the last few months.=E2=
=80=9D

By August, X was showing how truly radioactive it is for advertisers under =
Musk=E2=80=99s watch, exploding with racism, LGBTQ hatred, and conspiracies=
. Unsurprisingly, advertisers fled and didn=E2=80=99t want to return. Musk =
responded by suing the handful of people who are fighting to bring transpar=
ency to the platform, like our friends at the Center for Countering Digital=
Hate.

To wallpaper over Musk=E2=80=99s destruction, X partnered with Integral Ad =
Science to convince advertisers they can protect their brands from the plat=
form=E2=80=99s toxicity. There are just two problems: X has never been more=
toxic, and Integral Ad Science doesn=E2=80=99t actually work.

The other fig leaf X uses to pretend it=E2=80=99s brand safe, Trustworthy A=
ccountability Group certification, was quietly renewed at the same time. We=
immediately filed a formal complaint.

Under increasing scrutiny, Musk attacked the ADL to distract from his own i=
ncompetence, claiming that the Anti-Defamation League is behind X=E2=80=99s=
declining ad revenue. Then his own company dropped a new X ad that uninten=
tionally dunked on itself.

In the middle of all this, X started a program to share ad revenue with its=
verified users =E2=80=94 who immediately began gaming the system to make a=
buck off outrage and misinformation. As the trash fire escalated, Musk ina=
dvertently made the case for why X isn=E2=80=99t brand safe in a Daily Wire=
interview.

He made that case again as the year wrapped up, telling advertisers who wer=
e already halfway out the door to =E2=80=9Cgo fuck themselves.=E2=80=9D And=
as big-name advertisers stay away, ads for nonconsensual AI porn, semen st=
ealing, and scams flooded in.

But at least those ads are labeled, unlike in the hundreds of examples you =
all sent in that we compiled into an FTC complaint.

=F0=9F=A6=B4Fox News

This year we continued our fight against Fox News with some big wins. We ex=
posed Tubi as a Fox Corp. streaming company, and that NewsGuard, a media re=
liability ratings company, is gaming the system for Fox News.

We pressured Digital Content Next to drop Fox News. DCN is an influential t=
rade association that lobbies for the interests of =E2=80=9Cpremium=E2=80=
=9D digital publishers. DCN members are some of the most trusted and well-r=
espected media brands. But they also represent Fox News and its new streami=
ng service. Through their partnership with Fox News, DCN helps secure ad do=
llars for the biggest voices in disinformation. Fox Corp. earned $4 billion=
last year =E2=80=94 and they pay DCN just $79,000 a year =E2=80=94 to pedd=
le Fox News as a legitimate news organization alongside PBS, the Associated=
Press, and USA Today. Is our democracy that cheap?

Oh yeah, and Tucker Carlson was dropped by Fox. *whistles innocently*


=F0=9F=A6=B4Rumble

After Russell Brand was demonetized on YouTube, Rumble said it would contin=
ue to run ads on Brand's channel =E2=80=94 it didn=E2=80=99t matter that he=
was facing multiple assault and grooming accusations. It was an example of=
how the YouTube alternative monetizes toxic, unsafe content. It=E2=80=99s =
no coincidence that after its vocal support of Brand, advertisers started f=
leeing. And ahead of it being the official streaming partner of GOP debates=
, we shared 8 things about Rumble that you should know.
=F0=9F=A6=B4OpenWeb

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 disinfor=
mation. They=E2=80=99ve gone on the record saying they=E2=80=99d never work=
with Breitbart, but we exposed OpenWeb's secret relationship with Steve Ba=
nnon.

=F0=9F=A6=B4Climate disinfo

In September we showed how Jordan Peterson, a prolific climate denier, is b=
eing funded by YouTube and we launched multiple email action campaigns to a=
d networks that are helping fund Townhall, a top climate change disinformat=
ion outlet. These included Criteo, Teads, Index Exchange, Xandr, and Google=
. Due to your action, Teads dropped Townhall from its inventory! Thank you =
for using your voice to defund climate disinformation!

Building on our Townhall research, we published a report with the Climate A=
ction Against Disinformation ahead of the UN=E2=80=99s large climate confer=
ence, COP28. We showed how over 150 ad exchanges enable the monetization of=
climate mis- and disinformation on 15 key websites, including Breitbart, N=
ewsmax, and Townhall.

=F0=9F=8F=9B=EF=B8=8F To the top

It was a big year for meeting with changemakers. Claire joined a panel at t=
he European Parliament to discuss defunding disinformation in the Balkans. =
And she didn=E2=80=99t stop there =E2=80=94 she later visited Canada=E2=80=
=99s Parliament Hill, where she met with lawmakers and committee members an=
d broke down the intersection of adtech=E2=80=99s opacity and the problems =
plaguing online discourse. Nandini went to Austria to explain how misinform=
ation spreads and what you can do against it at the Ars Electronica festiva=
l. Our policy director Sarah traveled to Washington and met with lawmakers =
=E2=80=94 and we can=E2=80=99t wait to show you what we=E2=80=99re working =
on =F0=9F=A4=AB

2024 =F0=9F=91=80 on AI and elections

Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Midjourney, can produce text, imag=
es, and more through user prompts. It can be a handy tool for creating outl=
ines, or testing design ideas. But it also brings new and substantial risks=
. It=E2=80=99s never been easier to fake an image, rip off an artist, or sp=
in up sites whose sole function is to drain money from advertisers. In 2024=
, we intend to push ad exchanges, advertisers, and publishers to prioritize=
the public interest, artists=E2=80=99 rights, transparency, and authentici=
ty while adopting AI tools.

AI=E2=80=99s risks don=E2=80=99t stop with ad placement =E2=80=94 they reac=
h down to strangle the root of democracy by making it easy to profit by gen=
erating outrage for engagement with fake images, text, and even video. The =
AI revolution comes as X begins allowing political parties and candidates t=
o advertise for the first time since 2019. And Meta is accepting money to r=
un ads questioning the results of the 2020 election.



Artificial intelligence is not the biggest risk to election security in 202=
4. Disinformation and attacks on election security are coming from human be=
ings in the form of lawsuits, media manipulation including AI, physical int=
imidation, and chaos agents. We are facing intense realities ahead of this =
year.

There is no chance that we can do this work without you. The research, stra=
tegy, psychological mobility, and resilience this work requires relies on t=
he many kinds of support our Checkmates and friends provide. Please know th=
at you matter very much to us and to this work.

Look at everything our community accomplished in 2023! Thank you for using =
your voice to make a difference. If you=E2=80=99re not already, consider be=
coming a Checkmate and supporting us with a recurring donation.

This next year, it=E2=80=99s on all of us to be vigilant, call out bullshit=
when we see it, let advertisers know what they=E2=80=99re funding, and pul=
l the plug on hate. We=E2=80=99ve got some big stuff lined up and are going=
to be going after Google, grifters, and those who threaten democracy to ma=
ke a buck. We can=E2=80=99t wait to work with you on it.

Best New Year wishes,

Claire & Nandini

This email was sent to [email protected]. Click here to [link removed]
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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: 24px; 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/CRM_News_Header.png" alt=3D"CRM_=
News_Header.png" width=3D"600" align=3D"center" style=3D"outline: none; tex=
t-decoration: none; -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; max-width: 100%; clear=
: both; display: block; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; float: none; text-a=
lign: 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;"><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: 22pt;"><strong><span class=3D"discuss=
ion-level-1 discussion-id-2fc1586c-c263-434a-a7b1-bca9d354c515 notion-enabl=
e-hover" data-token-index=3D"0"><span class=3D"discussion-level-1 discussio=
n-id-7590eeca-4c3a-494e-9aeb-7dc164151ec1 notion-enable-hover" data-token-i=
ndex=3D"0">Check My Ads=E2=80=99 big wins in 2023, and what=E2=80=99s comin=
g in 2024</span></span></strong></span></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;"><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;">Dear ,</p> <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;">First, than=
k you. Thank you for being part of our community. Thank you for using your =
voice to fight disinformation. Thank you for working to bring transparency =
to adtech and, in doing so, defending democracy.</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;">2023 was a huge year. We took =
the battle for adtech transparency to Google; met with policymakers in Cana=
da, the US, and the EU; tackled the scourge of Fox News; kept the pressure =
on Elon Musk; <a href=3D"[link removed]
ink/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnutx=
eKA4og0unysxWqdmx10=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; fon=
t-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">and bas=
ically reduced Tim Pool to selling coffee</a>.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c41=
44; 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;">Here are the big bones we picked=
in 2023:</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/CMA_Google_minefield_web.jpg" al=
t=3D"CMA_Google_minefield_web.jpg" width=3D"600" align=3D"center" style=3D"=
outline: none; text-decoration: none; -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; max-=
width: 100%; clear: both; display: block; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; f=
loat: 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;"><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: 20pt; font-family: Montserrat, Verdan=
a, sans-serif;"><strong>=F0=9F=A6=B4Google</strong></span></h3> <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;">Google runs the big=
gest digital ad exchange in the world. The $1.7 trillion company earns 80 p=
ercent of its revenue from ads, but the marketplace it set up is murky and =
ripe for grift. Look no further than <a href=3D"[link removed]
emails/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/j=
G12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnoXCiCgPdYVUy5P9fAAIGSA=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; tex=
t-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; lin=
e-height: 1.5;">Breitbart to see how sites get around universal blocklists<=
/a> with Google=E2=80=99s help.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family=
: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Marg=
in: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: =
10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">For years, Google=E2=80=99s line has been if yo=
u don=E2=80=99t want your ads on Breitbart, block it yourself. But it=E2=80=
=99s not that easy. We exposed how, through its Google Search Partner netwo=
rk, <a href=3D"[link removed]
jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnqXEb9Dla4V5PD=
HMRu2qmBg=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: =
inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">Google put major =
brands=E2=80=99 search ads on unsafe websites</a> =E2=80=94 including Breit=
bart, where advertisers have specifically asked not to be.</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;">After our report, Go=
ogle stopped serving search ads on two of the sites we flagged =E2=80=94 bu=
t kept them on Breitbart. And then <a href=3D"[link removed]
ails/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG1=
2BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnt06xXK_HJJpaRsQ_gbMGbg=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-=
decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-=
height: 1.5;">we found even more ads on unsafe sites</a> before Google took=
action after we called them out, again.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; fo=
nt-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;">That wasn=E2=80=99t the only time Goog=
le surprised advertisers with where they dumped ads this year. We broke dow=
n how YouTube leads marketers to think they=E2=80=99re putting ads on YouTu=
be but often sticking them on third-party websites and mobile apps called G=
oogle Video Partners. Too bad <a href=3D"[link removed]
tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFv=
eGTwwGLjHquTnqwaM5R93bhaRpvHAgWHVEg=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decor=
ation: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-heigh=
t: 1.5;">GVP is a toxic landscape of inventory</a> that runs the gamut: hat=
e sites, made for advertising clickbait, and even Russian state media.</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;">And <a h=
ref=3D"[link removed]
XAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnlAkN-N9OB1nsK7ErYerbV=
s=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit;=
padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">Google=E2=80=99s still tr=
ying to keep the billions it took from advertisers with this scam</a>. Oh y=
eah, and then it spent a <a href=3D"[link removed]
ing/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTww=
GLjHquTngCPyZZGbnbUkWhFCwAJE0c=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration=
: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.=
5;">week furiously denying a report about how it has secretly displayed vio=
lent ads</a> meant for adults on kids=E2=80=99 YouTube channels, and then h=
arvested children=E2=80=99s data without parental consent. Just another day=
when you=E2=80=99re a monopoly.</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/CMA_ELON_HOLE-1.png" alt=3D"Elon=
Musk standing in an X-shaped hole with a shovel" width=3D"600" align=3D"ce=
nter" style=3D"outline: none; text-decoration: none; -ms-interpolation-mode=
: bicubic; max-width: 100%; clear: both; display: block; margin: 0 auto; Ma=
rgin: 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;"><span style=3D=
"font-family: Montserrat, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 20pt;"><strong>=
=F0=9F=A6=B4X/Twitter</strong></span></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-bo=
ttom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">This November, Check My Ads celebrated ou=
r second birthday the same day as the first anniversary of Elon Musk buying=
Twitter. We launched two years ago with a promise to rip the beating heart=
out of the disinformation economy, and spent a lot of this year taking on =
Musk.</p> <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;=
">In May we dove into the fact that <a href=3D"[link removed]
mails/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG=
12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnvzJ9Cl2A9JovXJnCWBvT3s=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text=
-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line=
-height: 1.5;">X, formerly Twitter, hasn=E2=80=99t magically become brand s=
afe again</a> just because the CEO of WPP =E2=80=94 one of the world=E2=80=
=99s biggest advertising agency groups =E2=80=94 said that =E2=80=9CTwitter=
has become a lot more stable over the last few months.=E2=80=9D</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;">By August, <a =
href=3D"[link removed]
uXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnt_3kuo_Ts-08hOR912cF=
N0=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit=
; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">X was showing how truly =
radioactive it is for advertisers</a> under Musk=E2=80=99s watch, exploding=
with racism, LGBTQ hatred, and conspiracies. Unsurprisingly, advertisers f=
led and didn=E2=80=99t want to return. Musk responded by suing the handful =
of people who are fighting to bring transparency to the platform, like our =
friends at the Center for Countering Digital Hate.</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;">To wallpaper over Musk=E2=80=
=99s destruction, X partnered with Integral Ad Science to convince advertis=
ers they can protect their brands from the platform=E2=80=99s toxicity. The=
re are just two problems: X has never been more toxic, and <a href=3D"https=
://api.neonemails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbi=
TeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnhCF9B6vj4J15BN7ZrijOTc=3D" style=
=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0=
; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">Integral Ad Science doesn=E2=80=99t =
actually work</a>.</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;">The other fig leaf X uses to pretend it=E2=80=99s brand safe=
, Trustworthy Accountability Group certification, was quietly renewed at th=
e same time. <a href=3D"[link removed]
nk/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnr2TJ=
EgYae3J83iiMlk2fCg=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font=
-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">We immed=
iately filed a formal complaint</a>.</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;">Under increasing scrutiny, <a href=3D"http=
s://api.neonemails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqb=
iTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnsiHZktbGVI0Oaeiszr-AWc=3D" style=
=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0=
; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">Musk attacked the ADL to distract fr=
om his own incompetence</a>, claiming that the Anti-Defamation League is be=
hind X=E2=80=99s declining ad revenue. Then his own company dropped a <a hr=
ef=3D"[link removed]
AQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnnc6JRQSphebQiONBlp8yBA=
=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; =
padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">new X ad that unintentiona=
lly dunked on itself.</a></p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: aria=
l,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 middle of all this, X started a program to sha=
re ad revenue with its verified users =E2=80=94 who immediately <a href=3D"=
[link removed]
dtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnkucilZl4HRP1Wxeivrg6Zs=3D" s=
tyle=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; paddin=
g: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">began gaming the system to make =
a buck off outrage and misinformation</a>. As the trash fire escalated, <a =
href=3D"[link removed]
uXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnj6UJQrx_Gp_arC8QsZ4q=
PQ=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit=
; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">Musk inadvertently made =
the case for why X isn=E2=80=99t brand safe</a> in a Daily Wire interview.<=
/p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; fo=
nt-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-si=
ze: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">He m=
ade that case again as the year wrapped up, telling advertisers who were al=
ready halfway out the door to =E2=80=9Cgo fuck themselves.=E2=80=9D And as =
big-name advertisers stay away, <a href=3D"[link removed]
s/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BB=
FveGTwwGLjHquTnitxpmFSCWSoOLYhWHnUKk0=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-dec=
oration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-hei=
ght: 1.5;">ads for nonconsensual AI porn, semen stealing, and scams flooded=
in</a>.</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: 10=
px;">But at least those ads are labeled, unlike in the hundreds of examples=
you all sent in that we <a href=3D"[link removed]
ing/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTww=
GLjHquTnkEHyjLJ_IGB6ppodn9Obyc=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration=
: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.=
5;">compiled into an FTC complaint</a>.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; fon=
t-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;"><span style=3D"font-family: Montserrat,=
Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 20pt;"><strong>=F0=9F=A6=B4Fox News</stron=
g></span></p> <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;">This year we continued our fight against Fox News with some big wins.=
We exposed <a href=3D"[link removed]
k/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnjcX-_=
4WE95_V_MqdVp_iig=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-=
weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">Tubi as a=
Fox Corp. streaming company</a>, and that <a href=3D"[link removed]
s.com/emails/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eu=
g=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnvZZPRDXhWD4hmxE8oduCyc=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d=
9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: lef=
t; line-height: 1.5;">NewsGuard, a media reliability ratings company, is ga=
ming the system for Fox News</a>.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-fami=
ly: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Ma=
rgin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom=
: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">We pressured <a href=3D"[link removed]
s.com/emails/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eu=
g=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnsqVGDaGvDXLL3KGV_2_bbY=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d=
9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: lef=
t; line-height: 1.5;">Digital Content Next to drop Fox News</a>. DCN is an =
influential trade association that lobbies for the interests of =E2=80=9Cpr=
emium=E2=80=9D digital publishers. DCN members are some of the most trusted=
and well-respected media brands. But they also represent Fox News and its =
new streaming service. Through their partnership with Fox News, DCN helps s=
ecure ad dollars for the biggest voices in disinformation. Fox Corp. earned=
$4 billion last year =E2=80=94 and they pay DCN just $79,000 a year =E2=80=
=94 to peddle Fox News as a legitimate news organization alongside PBS, the=
Associated Press, and USA Today. Is our democracy that cheap?</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;">Oh yeah, and <a =
href=3D"[link removed]
uXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTniwfiWE8dcqhVX2eV3vvS=
Jw=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit=
; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">Tucker Carlson was dropp=
ed by Fox</a>. *whistles innocently*</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/CMA_ToxicRumble-copy.jpg" alt=3D=
"People in hazmat suits warning others away from a toxic pit labeled Rumble=
" width=3D"600" align=3D"center" style=3D"outline: none; text-decoration: n=
one; -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; max-width: 100%; clear: both; display=
: block; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; float: none; text-align: center; h=
eight: 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;"><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-family: Montserrat, Verdana, sans-serif; fo=
nt-size: 20pt;"><strong>=F0=9F=A6=B4Rumble</strong></span></h3> <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;">After Russell Brand=
was demonetized on YouTube, Rumble said it would continue to run ads on Br=
and's channel =E2=80=94 it didn=E2=80=99t matter that he was facing multipl=
e assault and grooming accusations. It was an example of how the YouTube al=
ternative monetizes <a href=3D"[link removed]
lick-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHq=
uTngsv47tFHCwp_mzKKY7C0jg=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: non=
e; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">t=
oxic, unsafe content.</a> It=E2=80=99s no coincidence that after its vocal =
support of Brand, <a href=3D"[link removed]
ck-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquT=
nnAy2BBYcPnXDJgaJ53opMc=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none;=
font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">adv=
ertisers started fleeing.</a> And ahead of it being the official streaming =
partner of GOP debates, we shared <a href=3D"[link removed]
ils/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12=
BBFveGTwwGLjHquTngKxNa8pntMpwux0mEL_Qao=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-d=
ecoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-h=
eight: 1.5;">8 things about Rumble that you should <span style=3D"font-fami=
ly: Montserrat, Verdana, sans-serif;">know</span></a><span style=3D"font-fa=
mily: Montserrat, Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span></p> <h3 style=3D"padding: =
0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 130%; color: inheri=
t; word-wrap: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom:=
10px; font-size: 28px; font-family: Montserrat, Verdana, sans-serif;"><spa=
n style=3D"font-family: Montserrat, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 20pt;">=
<strong>=F0=9F=A6=B4OpenWeb</strong></span></h3> <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;">The ad exchange has built a niche =
for itself in the advertising business: =E2=80=9Csaving online conversation=
s=E2=80=9D from hate, lies, and disinformation. They=E2=80=99ve gone on the=
record saying they=E2=80=99d never work with Breitbart, but we exposed <a =
href=3D"[link removed]
uXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTntEQDqDTm7y4VzkfT7r4H=
Ww=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit=
; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">OpenWeb's secret relatio=
nship with Steve Bannon</a>.</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;"><span style=3D"font-family: Montserrat, Verdana, s=
ans-serif; font-size: 20pt;"><strong>=F0=9F=A6=B4Climate disinfo</strong></=
span></p> <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;=
">In September we showed how <a href=3D"[link removed]
racking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFve=
GTwwGLjHquTnm-BV5Q4uC2T-j43dKKORfM=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decora=
tion: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height=
: 1.5;">Jordan Peterson, a prolific climate denier, is being funded by YouT=
ube</a> and we launched multiple email action campaigns to <a href=3D"https=
://api.neonemails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbi=
TeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnnTVAh1JN4fu7DuxneUYV5s=3D" style=
=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0=
; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">ad networks that are helping fund To=
wnhall</a>, a top climate change disinformation outlet. These included <a h=
ref=3D"[link removed]
XAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnuEB-EUbNzXzQ4PZuLaRiR=
M=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit;=
padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">Criteo</a>, <a href=3D"ht=
tps://api.neonemails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdt=
qbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnv65t78gHc9ZxlznbBQZf6Y=3D" sty=
le=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding:=
0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">Teads</a>, <a href=3D"[link removed]
neonemails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1x=
pxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnvPy6eP497zFrGxOPb50J8E=3D" style=3D"colo=
r: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-a=
lign: left; line-height: 1.5;">Index Exchange</a>, <a href=3D"[link removed]
eonemails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xp=
xxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnu6XUKdnmtozCg-pI4Aza4k=3D" style=3D"color=
: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-al=
ign: left; line-height: 1.5;">Xandr</a>, and Google. Due to your action, Te=
ads dropped Townhall from its inventory! Thank you for using your voice to =
defund climate disinformation!</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family:=
arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margi=
n: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1=
0px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">Building on our Townhall research, we published =
a report with the Climate Action Against Disinformation ahead of the UN=E2=
=80=99s large climate conference, COP28. We showed how over <a href=3D"http=
s://api.neonemails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqb=
iTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTntBwzJish0PqCqoO44fX9A4=3D" style=
=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0=
; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">150 ad exchanges enable the monetiza=
tion of climate mis- and disinformation</a> on 15 key websites, including B=
reitbart, Newsmax, and Townhall.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-famil=
y: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Mar=
gin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom:=
10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;"><strong><span style=3D"font-family: Montserrat=
, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 20pt;">=F0=9F=8F=9B=EF=B8=8F To the top</=
span></strong></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-bott=
om: 10px;">It was a big year for meeting with changemakers. Claire joined a=
panel at the European Parliament to discuss defunding disinformation in th=
e Balkans. And she didn=E2=80=99t stop there =E2=80=94 she later visited Ca=
nada=E2=80=99s Parliament Hill, where she met with lawmakers and committee =
members and broke down the intersection of adtech=E2=80=99s opacity and the=
problems plaguing online discourse. Nandini went to Austria to explain how=
misinformation spreads and what you can do against it at the Ars Electroni=
ca festival. Our policy director Sarah traveled to Washington and met with =
lawmakers =E2=80=94 and we can=E2=80=99t wait to show you what we=E2=80=99r=
e working on =F0=9F=A4=AB</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: aria=
l,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;"><span style=3D"font-family: Montserrat, Verdana, sans=
-serif; font-size: 20pt;"><strong>2024 =F0=9F=91=80 on AI and elections</st=
rong></span></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;">Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Midjourney, can produce t=
ext, images, and more through user prompts. It can be a handy tool for crea=
ting outlines, or testing design ideas. But it also brings new and substant=
ial risks. It=E2=80=99s never been easier to fake an image, rip off an arti=
st, or spin up sites whose <a href=3D"[link removed]
cking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGT=
wwGLjHquTnoWfOMqV6TPTjMqy2YevAMk=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decorati=
on: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: =
1.5;">sole function is to drain money from advertisers</a>. In 2024, we int=
end to push ad exchanges, advertisers, and publishers to prioritize the pub=
lic interest, artists=E2=80=99 rights, transparency, and authenticity while=
adopting AI tools.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,helv=
etica,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;">AI=E2=80=99s risks don=E2=80=99t stop with ad placement =E2=
=80=94 they reach down to strangle the root of democracy by making it easy =
to profit by generating outrage for engagement with fake images, text, and =
even video. The AI revolution comes as X begins <a href=3D"[link removed]
emails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/xe50S7jnJ7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM=
1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnvdW2GFMGhVIgiN9B1xxAjw=3D" style=3D"color: #=
0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0; text-align=
: left; line-height: 1.5;">allowing political parties and candidates to adv=
ertise</a> for the first time since 2019. And Meta is accepting money to ru=
n <a href=3D"[link removed]
J7ZICuXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnqQYebyF7l39Jpx5=
XMIpHD4=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: in=
herit; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">ads questioning the=
results of the 2020 election</a>.</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/CMA_yearendpop%202.jpg" alt=3D"A=
hand holding a needle preparing to pop balloons with the Breitbart, Google=
, and X logos" width=3D"600" align=3D"center" style=3D"outline: none; text-=
decoration: none; -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; max-width: 100%; clear: =
both; display: block; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; float: none; text-ali=
gn: center; height: auto;"><!--[if mso]></center><![end-if]-->
</figure></th>=20
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</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;"><strong>Artifi=
cial intelligence is not the biggest risk to election security in 2024.</st=
rong> Disinformation and attacks on election security are coming from human=
beings in the form of lawsuits, media manipulation including AI, physical =
intimidation, and chaos agents. We are facing intense realities ahead of th=
is year.</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: 10=
px;">There is no chance that we can do this work without you. The research,=
strategy, psychological mobility, and resilience this work requires relies=
on the many kinds of support our Checkmates and friends provide. Please kn=
ow that you matter very much to us and to this work.</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;">Look at everything our com=
munity accomplished in 2023! Thank you for using your voice to make a diffe=
rence. If you=E2=80=99re not already, consider becoming a Checkmate and <a =
href=3D"[link removed]
uXAQN4JIdtqbiTeEld1xpxxM1D9eug=3D/jG12BBFveGTwwGLjHquTnq_JP21xn5iUtBctc41rV=
VM=3D" style=3D"color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit=
; padding: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5;">supporting us with a rec=
urring donation</a>.</p> <p style=3D"color: #3c4144; font-family: arial,hel=
vetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text=
-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margi=
n-bottom: 10px;">This next year, it=E2=80=99s on all of us to be vigilant, =
call out bullshit when we see it, let advertisers know what they=E2=80=99re=
funding, and pull the plug on hate. We=E2=80=99ve got some big stuff lined=
up and are going to be going after Google, grifters, and those who threate=
n democracy to make a buck. We can=E2=80=99t wait to work with you on it.</=
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;">Best =
New Year wishes,</p> <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;">Claire &amp; Nandini</p></th>=20
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left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 auto; Margin: 0 auto; wo=
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If you're having trouble viewing this email, you can see it online, [link removed].
Check My Ads’ big wins in 2023, and what’s coming in 2024

Dear ,

First, thank you. Thank you for being part of our community. Thank you for using your voice to fight disinformation. Thank you for working to bring transparency to adtech and, in doing so, defending democracy.

2023 was a huge year. We took the battle for adtech transparency to Google; met with policymakers in Canada, the US, and the EU; tackled the scourge of Fox News; kept the pressure on Elon Musk; and basically reduced Tim Pool to selling coffee.

Here are the big bones we picked in 2023:


🦴Google

Google runs the biggest digital ad exchange in the world. The $1.7 trillion company earns 80 percent of its revenue from ads, but the marketplace it set up is murky and ripe for grift. Look no further than Breitbart to see how sites get around universal blocklists with Google’s help.

For years, Google’s line has been if you don’t want your ads on Breitbart, block it yourself. But it’s not that easy. We exposed how, through its Google Search Partner network, Google put major brands’ search ads on unsafe websites — including Breitbart, where advertisers have specifically asked not to be.

After our report, Google stopped serving search ads on two of the sites we flagged — but kept them on Breitbart. And then we found even more ads on unsafe sites before Google took action after we called them out, again.

That wasn’t the only time Google surprised advertisers with where they dumped ads this year. We broke down how YouTube leads marketers to think they’re putting ads on YouTube but often sticking them on third-party websites and mobile apps called Google Video Partners. Too bad GVP is a toxic landscape of inventory that runs the gamut: hate sites, made for advertising clickbait, and even Russian state media.

And Google’s still trying to keep the billions it took from advertisers with this scam. Oh yeah, and then it spent a week furiously denying a report about how it has secretly displayed violent ads meant for adults on kids’ YouTube channels, and then harvested children’s data without parental consent. Just another day when you’re a monopoly.



🦴X/Twitter

This November, Check My Ads celebrated our second birthday the same day as the first anniversary of Elon Musk buying Twitter. We launched two years ago with a promise to rip the beating heart out of the disinformation economy, and spent a lot of this year taking on Musk.

In May we dove into the fact that X, formerly Twitter, hasn’t magically become brand safe again just because the CEO of WPP — one of the world’s biggest advertising agency groups — said that “Twitter has become a lot more stable over the last few months.”

By August, X was showing how truly radioactive it is for advertisers under Musk’s watch, exploding with racism, LGBTQ hatred, and conspiracies. Unsurprisingly, advertisers fled and didn’t want to return. Musk responded by suing the handful of people who are fighting to bring transparency to the platform, like our friends at the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

To wallpaper over Musk’s destruction, X partnered with Integral Ad Science to convince advertisers they can protect their brands from the platform’s toxicity. There are just two problems: X has never been more toxic, and Integral Ad Science doesn’t actually work.

The other fig leaf X uses to pretend it’s brand safe, Trustworthy Accountability Group certification, was quietly renewed at the same time. We immediately filed a formal complaint.

Under increasing scrutiny, Musk attacked the ADL to distract from his own incompetence, claiming that the Anti-Defamation League is behind X’s declining ad revenue. Then his own company dropped a new X ad that unintentionally dunked on itself.

In the middle of all this, X started a program to share ad revenue with its verified users — who immediately began gaming the system to make a buck off outrage and misinformation. As the trash fire escalated, Musk inadvertently made the case for why X isn’t brand safe in a Daily Wire interview.

He made that case again as the year wrapped up, telling advertisers who were already halfway out the door to “go fuck themselves.” And as big-name advertisers stay away, ads for nonconsensual AI porn, semen stealing, and scams flooded in.

But at least those ads are labeled, unlike in the hundreds of examples you all sent in that we compiled into an FTC complaint.

🦴Fox News

This year we continued our fight against Fox News with some big wins. We exposed Tubi as a Fox Corp. streaming company, and that NewsGuard, a media reliability ratings company, is gaming the system for Fox News.

We pressured Digital Content Next to drop Fox News. DCN is an influential trade association that lobbies for the interests of “premium” digital publishers. DCN members are some of the most trusted and well-respected media brands. But they also represent Fox News and its new streaming service. Through their partnership with Fox News, DCN helps secure ad dollars for the biggest voices in disinformation. Fox Corp. earned $4 billion last year — and they pay DCN just $79,000 a year — to peddle Fox News as a legitimate news organization alongside PBS, the Associated Press, and USA Today. Is our democracy that cheap?

Oh yeah, and Tucker Carlson was dropped by Fox. *whistles innocently*


🦴Rumble

After Russell Brand was demonetized on YouTube, Rumble said it would continue to run ads on Brand's channel — it didn’t matter that he was facing multiple assault and grooming accusations. It was an example of how the YouTube alternative monetizes toxic, unsafe content. It’s no coincidence that after its vocal support of Brand, advertisers started fleeing. And ahead of it being the official streaming partner of GOP debates, we shared 8 things about Rumble that you should know.
🦴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 saying they’d never work with Breitbart, but we exposed OpenWeb's secret relationship with Steve Bannon.

🦴Climate disinfo

In September we showed how Jordan Peterson, a prolific climate denier, is being funded by YouTube and we launched multiple email action campaigns to ad networks that are helping fund Townhall, a top climate change disinformation outlet. These included Criteo, Teads, Index Exchange, Xandr, and Google. Due to your action, Teads dropped Townhall from its inventory! Thank you for using your voice to defund climate disinformation!

Building on our Townhall research, we published a report with the Climate Action Against Disinformation ahead of the UN’s large climate conference, COP28. We showed how over 150 ad exchanges enable the monetization of climate mis- and disinformation on 15 key websites, including Breitbart, Newsmax, and Townhall.

🏛️ To the top

It was a big year for meeting with changemakers. Claire joined a panel at the European Parliament to discuss defunding disinformation in the Balkans. And she didn’t stop there — she later visited Canada’s Parliament Hill, where she met with lawmakers and committee members and broke down the intersection of adtech’s opacity and the problems plaguing online discourse. Nandini went to Austria to explain how misinformation spreads and what you can do against it at the Ars Electronica festival. Our policy director Sarah traveled to Washington and met with lawmakers — and we can’t wait to show you what we’re working on 🤫

2024 👀 on AI and elections

Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Midjourney, can produce text, images, and more through user prompts. It can be a handy tool for creating outlines, or testing design ideas. But it also brings new and substantial risks. It’s never been easier to fake an image, rip off an artist, or spin up sites whose sole function is to drain money from advertisers. In 2024, we intend to push ad exchanges, advertisers, and publishers to prioritize the public interest, artists’ rights, transparency, and authenticity while adopting AI tools.

AI’s risks don’t stop with ad placement — they reach down to strangle the root of democracy by making it easy to profit by generating outrage for engagement with fake images, text, and even video. The AI revolution comes as X begins allowing political parties and candidates to advertise for the first time since 2019. And Meta is accepting money to run ads questioning the results of the 2020 election.



Artificial intelligence is not the biggest risk to election security in 2024. Disinformation and attacks on election security are coming from human beings in the form of lawsuits, media manipulation including AI, physical intimidation, and chaos agents. We are facing intense realities ahead of this year.

There is no chance that we can do this work without you. The research, strategy, psychological mobility, and resilience this work requires relies on the many kinds of support our Checkmates and friends provide. Please know that you matter very much to us and to this work.

Look at everything our community accomplished in 2023! Thank you for using your voice to make a difference. If you’re not already, consider becoming a Checkmate and supporting us with a recurring donation.

This next year, it’s on all of us to be vigilant, call out bullshit when we see it, let advertisers know what they’re funding, and pull the plug on hate. We’ve got some big stuff lined up and are going to be going after Google, grifters, and those who threaten democracy to make a buck. We can’t wait to work with you on it.

Best New Year wishes,

Claire & Nandini

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