Facebook suffers malware attacks as advertisers turn to Amazon
Dozens of politically charged ads containing malware have been found on Facebook by news organisation ProPublica, despite Facebook's attempts to prevent them. Once clicked, the malware infects users' computers and attempts to extract money through extortion or by selling false products. Meanwhile, Amazon's rich customer intent data and gigantic audience is helping the brand to be perceived as a strong contender to both Facebook and Google as an ad partner. Advertising giants Publicis and Omnicom are set to increase their Amazon ad spend by $800m in 2018, while WPP is pushing $200m of client spending towards Amazon next year.

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Malware Blues

ProPublica found dozens of politically charged ads on Facebook that inject malware into consumers’ computers. The ads come with provocative headlines about hot-button political issues and targeted Facebook users likely to click based on political ideologies. Some ads caused computers to freeze with a warning and a phone number users could call to get it fixed for a price. Other ads linked to spoofed domains peddling free products that rope consumers into automatic credit card charges. All the ads, which have been removed from the platform, violated Facebook’s guidelines for advertising, clickbait, fraud and spam. “There is no tolerable amount of malware on the site,” Facebook ads VP Rob Goldman tells ProPublica. “The tolerance is zero, but unfortunately that’s not the same as zero occurrence.” More.

Enter The Triopoly

Google and Facebook, watch out: Holding companies are gearing up to spend big on Amazon in 2018. Publicis and Omnicom will increase their ad spend with the ecommerce giant to upward of $800 million next year, while WPP will direct $200 million of client spend to the platform, reports WSJ’s Alex Bruell. “We are absolutely leaning into Amazon as an ad partner and think there are big advantages to our clients,” said Kelly Clark, CEO of WPP’s GroupM. More. Agencies see Amazon’s huge audience and rich intent data as an opportunity to reach consumers with better-targeted ads. And there’s a fringe benefit in that Amazon’s rise may help check Facebook’s and Google’s power.

Dish CEO Charlie Ergen has stepped down from his role to focus on the company’s wireless business, Variety reports. President and COO Eric Carlson will take his place. Dish’s ambitions in wireless are big: The company has paid more than $11 billion to acquire wireless licenses and assets and invested an additional $10 billion worth of minority stakes in wireless companies. Ergen’s shift comes among a major shake-up of Dish’s senior management team, including former EVP of marketing, programmatic and media sales Warren Schlichting moving over to head Sling TV, Dish’s OTT network. More.

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