The Monopoly Report

Alan Chapell
  • 4.4 (5)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Biweekly

In-depth coverage of big tech's antitrust woes from Marketecture.tv. We are covering the Google search and ad tech trials and everything else happening. Subscribe to our newsletter at https://monopoly-report.com/ Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠Marketecture Media.⁠ Marketecture® and AdTechGod® are registered trademarks of Marketecture Media, Inc. all rights reserved.

  1. 6d ago

    Episode 82: Is Attribution Solving the Wrong Problem? Adelaide CEO Marc Guldimann on Media Quality

    Marc Guldimann, founder and CEO of Adelaide, joins Alan Chapell to discuss why attribution may be solving the wrong problem, how AU measures media quality, and whether attention can become a true currency for digital advertising. The Chapell Regulatory Insider can be found at: https://chapellreport.substack.com/ Takeaways Attribution may be a symptom of poor media-quality signals. AU measures the probability of attention and outcomes. Adelaide wants AU to become a shared media-quality currency. Publisher audits could reduce reliance on impression-level tracking. AI-driven media buying will need reliable quality signals. Shared quality standards could reshape how digital media is bought and priced. Chapters00:00 Marc Guldimann’s Background05:45 Why Viewability Gets Gamed07:54 The Problem With Attention Duration10:50 Can AU Replace Viewability?15:06 How Adelaide Builds AU20:13 Adelaide’s Publisher Strategy23:35 AI Agents & Media Quality27:37 Browsers, Privacy & Tracking31:55 Are Outcomes the Real Currency?34:41 Private vs. Shared Measurement38:16 Closing Guests: Alan Chapell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. Aug 5

    Episode 81: Google Search Data Sharing - Does Competition Law trump Privacy?

    Thirteen months of Google's search data is worth roughly seventeen years of Bing's. That single number explains why Google's search business is now under pressure from four directions at once—the DOJ's antitrust remedy, the EU's Digital Markets Act, the UK's CMA, and the proposed US SEARCH Act. Now that Google is required to share its search data with competitors, the question turns to whether such sharing can be done in a way that is privacy safe. Do PETs offer a solution? Is this simply a place where privacy interests and competition interests are perpetually at odds? Is this simply another opportunity for Google to delay? Alan Chapell sits down with Alissa Cooper of the KGI to discuss the DOJ search remedies, the EU Digital Markets Act, privacy, AI, and what search data sharing could mean for competition and innovation Alissa Cooper’s bio can be found at: https://kgi.georgetown.edu/people/alissa-cooper/  The Chapell Regulatory Insider can be found at: https://chapellreport.substack.com/ Takeaways Why regulators want Google to share search data Privacy vs. competition in search How AI is changing the data-sharing debate Why independent oversight is essential Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:24 Why Google Must Share Search Data 08:35 Comparing Global Regulations 16:06 What Search Data Includes 19:34 Privacy Concerns 32:20 Independent Oversight 43:00 Final Takeaways 50:05 Closing Remarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. Jul 22

    Episode 80: Andy Dale on the Future of Self-Regulation

    Is self-regulation still relevant in today's privacy-first advertising landscape? Alan Chapell sits down with Andy Dale, General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer at OpenAP, to discuss the future of industry self-regulation, AI governance, privacy laws, and what ad tech organizations must do to remain valuable as regulation evolves. The Chapell Regulatory Insider may be found at https://chapellreport.substack.com/ The Data Protection Breakfast Club podcast may be found at https://rephonic.com/podcasts/data-protection-breakfast-club Takeaways: - Why self-regulation in ad tech needs to evolve beyond traditional compliance. - How AI governance, privacy laws, and managed services are reshaping the industry. - The future role of trade associations in supporting advertisers and ad tech companies. - Why collaboration and practical guidance may matter more than ever. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:34 Meet Andy Dale, General Counsel & Chief Privacy Officer at OpenAP 02:54 Is self-regulation still relevant? 06:08 Why now is the time to rethink industry organizations 07:36 Privacy laws vs. self-regulation 10:18 What advertisers need today 13:12 The future of industry collaboration 19:17 The three pillars: Advocacy, Standards & Compliance 22:11 How best practices should evolve 28:50 Managed services and privacy support 32:04 AI governance and the next opportunity 33:18 Does the DAA still matter? 37:25 Industry partnerships and consolidation 44:20 The future value of trade associations 46:03 Final thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. Jul 8

    Episode 79: Mozilla's Martin Thomson on the W3C Attribution API, Privacy, and the Future of Digital Advertising Measurement

    Alan Chapell speaks with Martin Thomson, Distinguished Engineer at Mozilla, about the W3C Attribution API, browser-based measurement, privacy-enhancing technologies, interoperability, fraud, and the future of advertising attribution. They examine the tradeoffs between privacy, competition, and ad measurement. The Attribution API spec may be found here: https://github.com/w3c/attributionThe Chapell Regulatory Insider may be found here: https://chapellreport.substack.com/A Written Q&A between Alan and Martin may be found here: https://monopoly-report.com/p/the-w3c-attribution-api Takeaways Mozilla explains the goals behind the W3C Attribution API and browser-based measurement. The discussion explores privacy, interoperability, and the future of digital advertising. Martin Thomson addresses concerns around attribution accuracy, fraud, and competition. The episode examines what remains after Google's Privacy Sandbox initiative. Alan Chapell and Martin Thomson debate how future web standards could reshape ad measurement. Chapters00:00 Introduction01:26 Meet Martin Thomson of Mozilla06:04 What is the W3C Attribution API?10:57 Transparency and trust in browser measurement14:32 Privacy Sandbox and what remains16:07 Differential privacy explained18:37 Interoperability vs. user privacy23:27 Attribution, incrementality, and measurement challenges27:35 The future of measurement partners31:56 Fraud, attribution, and Google's role37:20 Designing standards for the future web41:20 Alan Chapell's key takeaways and analysis45:54 Closing remarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. Jun 24

    Episode 78: Privacy’s Defender Cindy Cohn on Encryption, Surveillance, Privacy Rights, and the Future of Digital Freedom

    Alan Chapell sits down with Cindy Cohn, former Executive Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and author of Privacy’s Defender. They discuss the landmark Bernstein encryption case, the Snowden revelations, surveillance, behavioral advertising, privacy regulation, competition law, some lessons for companies in the ads space, and the future of digital rights in an increasingly monitored world.  Privacy’s Defender is available at: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262051248/privacys-defender/ Can Privacy Technologies Replace Cookies? Ad Revenue in a Field Experiment is available at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5284526  The Chapell Regulatory Insider is available at: https://chapellreport.substack.com/ Takeaways Cindy Cohn reflects on her role in the landmark Bernstein case that helped establish encryption as protected speech. The conversation explores how the Snowden disclosures exposed mass government surveillance and reshaped privacy debates. Privacy, competition, copyright, and technology policy are deeply interconnected and require a multi-pronged approach. Both guests agree that many privacy regulations unintentionally burden smaller companies while reinforcing Big Tech dominance. Behavioral advertising, surveillance pricing, and data-driven discrimination pose growing risks to consumers. Cohn argues that privacy rights must be continuously defended and that the next generation has a critical role to play. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Cindy Cohn and Privacy’s Defender 03:57 The Bernstein Case and the Fight for Encryption Rights 06:10 Human Rights Law as a Foundation for Privacy Advocacy 08:23 How an Early Court Victory Shaped a Career 13:22 The NSA, AT&T, and the Snowden Revelations 20:46 Centralized Power, Internet Architecture, and Digital Freedom 25:07 Privacy Regulation, the FCC, and the FTC Debate 29:19 Private Rights of Action and Privacy Enforcement 31:54 Behavioral Advertising vs. Contextual Advertising 35:20 Surveillance Pricing and Consumer Fairness 39:33 Competition Law, Big Tech, and Regulatory Capture 41:10 Why Privacy Is a Team Sport 45:02 Music, Community, and Avoiding Burnout 48:26 Key Lessons from the Conversation 53:08 Surveillance Pricing, AI, and Future Risks 54:06 The Growing Number of Privacy Choke Points 55:11 Final Thoughts and Book Recommendation Guests: Alan Chapell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. Jun 10

    Episode 77: Tom Kemp & Tony Ficarrotta on California’s Delete Act, Data Brokers & Privacy Law

    At the NAI Summit 2026, Tony Ficarrotta, VP and General Counsel of the NAI, sat down with Tom Kemp, Executive Director of CalPrivacy, for an in-depth discussion on the California Delete Act, the DROP platform, data broker regulation, opt-out preference signals, privacy enforcement, and the future of federal privacy legislation. They explore how California is making privacy rights easier to exercise for consumers, the challenges of balancing innovation with consumer protection, and what businesses should expect from the next wave of privacy regulation. More info on the NAI at https://thenai.org/ More info on CalPrivacy at https://privacy.ca.gov/about-us/ More info on the Chapell Regulatory Insider at https://chapellreport.substack.com/ Takeaways Former Silicon Valley entrepreneur and cybersecurity founder Tom Kemp now leads CalPrivacy as Executive Director. CalPrivacy aims to make privacy rights easier to exercise for consumers through tools like DROP and browser-based opt-out signals. California is developing a centralized system for consumers to request data deletion from registered brokers. The agency handles enforcement, rulemaking, audits, education, advocacy, and the data broker registry. Kemp opposes federal laws that could override stronger state privacy protections. California is expanding browser-based privacy controls while prioritizing consumer intent. Key focuses include audits, consumer education, streamlined compliance, and alignment with other state privacy laws. Chapters00:00 Introduction & Special NAI Summit Interview01:38 Meet Tom Kemp: From Entrepreneur to CalPrivacy Director08:49 Why Tom Kemp Wrote His Book on Big Tech & Privacy14:01 Why Privacy Matters and the Risks of Personal Data Misuse18:32 What Makes CalPrivacy Different From Other Regulators?24:30 California Privacy Legislation and Current Policy Priorities29:22 AB 1542 and the Debate Over Sensitive Data Sales36:38 Expanding the Delete Act Beyond California40:28 Federal Privacy Law and the Secure Data Act Debate46:39 Opt-Out Preference Signals and Consumer Choice at Scale57:03 Privacy Regulation, Competition, and Browser Influence01:02:08 The Future of California Privacy Regulation01:04:23 Building CalPrivacy’s Next Chapter01:07:54 Closing Remarks & Preview of Next Episode Guests: Alan Chapell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. May 27

    Episode 76: John Battelle on AI, Data Ownership and the Future of the Open Internet

    Alan Chapell sits down with journalist, entrepreneur, and Wired co-founder John Battelle for a deep discussion on AI, privacy, data ownership, publishing, and the future of the internet. They unpack the “inner monologue bloom,” OpenAI’s ambitious ad revenue projections, the economics behind content creation in the AI age, and why Battelle believes data portability could unlock an entirely new innovation economy. From programmatic advertising to platform control, this conversation explores who will ultimately control the next era of digital infrastructure. You may find John at https://battellemedia.com/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbattelle/. You may find the Chapell Regulatory Insider at https://chapellreport.substack.com/. Takeaways - AI chatbots are creating a new “inner monologue” data economy. - Data is non-rivalrous, but tech platforms treat it like a closed asset. - OpenAI’s $100B ad revenue target would require massive market disruption. - Publishers still lack a scalable AI monetization model. -Programmatic ad tech may be one of the most underutilized infrastructures online. - Battelle argues consumers should own portable, machine-readable versions of their data. - AI agents could reshape commerce, search and personalization. - Platform control battles are shifting from browsers to AI ecosystems. - Local journalism faces a growing sustainability crisis in the AI era. - The next phase of the internet may depend on user-controlled AI agents. Chapters 00:00 Alan introduces John Battelle and his background in tech and media. 03:00 The “inner monologue bloom” and AI-driven privacy concerns. 09:20 Why data is treated incorrectly as a rivalrous asset. 15:00 OpenAI’s $100B advertising ambition and whether it’s realistic. 19:30 The future of AI agents and user-controlled personal data. 27:15 Apple, platform gatekeeping and the fight for user agency. 35:00 The economics of AI infrastructure and compute costs. 39:55 How AI impacts publishers, local journalism and content monetization. 50:55 Retail media, first-party data and the future of advertising. 58:00 Journalism as a public good and the risks of centralized AI control. 01:01:00 Why programmatic ad tech remains massively underestimated. 01:11:30 Battelle’s proposed “Token Act” and machine-readable data portability. 01:16:45 Final thoughts and where to follow John Battelle. Guests: Alan Chapell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  8. May 13

    Episode 75: Brave's JP Schmetz: ‘Publishers Need to Get Their Act Together'

    JP Schmetz, Chief of Search and Ads at Brave, joins Alan Chapell to debate the questions that most browser executives won't touch on the record. Should publishers stop outsourcing ad sales to Meta and Google? Is "first-party vs. third-party" a meaningful distinction to users — or a convenient line Brave draws to justify default blocking? Alan pushes back. JP pushes back harder. Featuring references to Jason Kint at DCN, GPC defaults, The Knight-Georgetown Institute (KGI) report covering data sharing pursuant to the DOJ Search remedies (among other items), and why rooting against the AI investment cycle is, by default, rooting for Google to win everything again. The KGI Report on data sharing is available at https://kgi.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Designing_the_Technical_Committee_Report_KGI-FINAL-April-2026.pdf. Sumit Sharma’s Report on Data Sharing is available at https://insights.sumitsharma.consulting/p/google-search-remedies-implementation The Chapell Regulatory Insider is available at https://chapellreport.substack.com/  Takeaways - Brave believes browsers should prioritize users over advertisers. - JP argues Google’s monopoly power comes from distribution and monetization. - Brave blocks third-party requests by default for privacy reasons. - Alan and JP debate the merits of blocking ads in the name of privacy. - Brave Search now powers parts of the AI search ecosystem. - AI could redistribute traffic away from traditional search engines. - JP believes publishers became too dependent on programmatic ad tech. - Subscription-based AI models may create a healthier internet economy. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and meeting JP Schmetz 00:36 Can browsers still serve users first? 04:05 Why browsers need search revenue to survive 05:49 The economics of search advertising 08:10 DOJ remedies, Chrome, and Google dominance 10:39 Brave’s evolution from privacy browser to search business 12:47 Why Brave blocks third-party ads and trackers 16:18 Publishers, ad tech, and selling ads directly 19:18 Ad tech circumvention and browser controls 22:02 Is Brave hurting publisher monetization? 25:05 Contextual advertising vs third-party tracking 28:47 Global Privacy Control and browser defaults 32:36 Brave Search, Google defaults, and monetization 34:56 Google data sharing and search competition 41:15 AI, search, and the future of the internet 46:30 Subscription models vs ad-funded AI 49:43 Why competition against Google still matters 51:25 Final thoughts and closing remarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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About

In-depth coverage of big tech's antitrust woes from Marketecture.tv. We are covering the Google search and ad tech trials and everything else happening. Subscribe to our newsletter at https://monopoly-report.com/ Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠Marketecture Media.⁠ Marketecture® and AdTechGod® are registered trademarks of Marketecture Media, Inc. all rights reserved.

Information

  • Creator
    Alan Chapell
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    83
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright (c) 2025 Marketecture Media, Inc.
  • Show Website
    The Monopoly Report

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