In this MadTech Podcast episode, Aimee Newell Tarín and John Still are joined by independent ad tech expert Shirley Marschall to discuss the latest in media, marketing, and commerce. 

They look at The Information Commissioner’s Office investigations into TikTok, Reddit and Imgur, Amazon’s sales continuing to climb during a boycott period, and Walmart’s retail media network. 

Investigations Announced into How Social Media Platforms use UK children’s Data (ICO) 

The Information Commissioner’s Office has launched three investigations into how TikTok, Reddit and Imgur protect the privacy of their child users in the UK. The watchdog will be looking into how TikTok uses 13 to 17-year-olds' personal information to make recommendations to them, and how Reddit and Imgur assess the age of their child UK users. 

Amazon Defies ‘Economic Blackout’ (Forbes)

Despite calls for an "economic blackout" targeting major retailers on 28th Feb, data reveals that Amazon sales increased during the boycott period. According to analytics from Momentum Commerce, Amazon's transactions rose 1% compared to typical Friday patterns, suggesting the boycott had limited impact. 

Buyers see Walmart’s Retail Media Network as the ‘one to watch’ (Digiday)

According to Walmart’s latest earnings report, its ad business grew 27% year over year in 2024, netting the retail giant USD$4.4bn (£3.45bn) in global ad revenue for the year. Meanwhile, the company continues to evolve its ad offerings.