Sign up to save tools and stay up to date with the latest in AI
bg
bg
1

Apple's 'Web Eraser' Sparks Concerns Among UK Newspapers

May 12, 2024 - pymnts.com
British newspapers have expressed concerns over Apple's new ad-blocking tool, dubbed the "web eraser", arguing that it threatens the financial stability of the journalism industry. The tool, part of the AI privacy feature in Apple's upcoming iOS 18 software update, will remove ads or unwanted website content. The News Media Association (NMA) has sent a letter to Apple's UK government affairs chief, stating that advertising is a crucial revenue stream for many publishers and ad-blocking could hinder content creators' ability to fund their work.

This comes as newspapers struggle to maintain revenues amidst AI advancements. Recently, eight newspapers owned by Alden Global Capital's MediaNews Group sued Microsoft and OpenAI, alleging that these tech companies used their content to train their AI models without payment or permission. Meanwhile, News Corp, owner of Wall Street Journal and New York Post, denied reports of a partnership with Google to develop AI-related content and products.

Key takeaways:

  • British newspapers have expressed concerns over Apple's new ad-blocking tool, dubbed the 'web eraser', arguing that it threatens the financial stability of the journalism industry.
  • The 'web eraser' is part of the AI privacy feature in Apple's upcoming iOS 18 software update, which will remove ads or other unwanted website content.
  • The News Media Association (NMA) argues that ad-blocking hampers the ability of content creators to sustainably fund their work and could lead to consumers missing important information.
  • The NMA's concerns come as newspapers struggle to maintain revenues in the face of AI advances, with eight newspapers owned by Alden Global Capital's MediaNews Group recently suing Microsoft and OpenAI for allegedly using their content to train AI models without payment or permission.
View Full Article

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment!