Ricky Sutton

Snap’s rare profit comes with a teen-sized asterisk #442: When Wall Street bailed up CEO Evan Spiegel for selling ads to teens, he said it wasn't material - but was that true?

Snap's CEO told Wall Street that revenue from under-18s is not material.
I read 4,796 pages of court filings that show teens 13-17 have the highest revenue per user, account for ~50% of time on the app, and generate $1B+/year.
They're the entire foundation.

Who's making money from Apple News and how? Insiders reveal the growth hacks, the revenues and how it's scaling Apple's fast-growing ad business. rickysutton.substack.com/p/the-fast-g...

Best-selling author Patrick McGeesays Apple relies on Taiwan for chip in all its products.

“Everything’s concentrated in TSMC,” he said. A blockade or invasion would be "a meteor strike on Apple’s business”.

rickysutton.substack.com/p/the-fast-g...

The fast-growing ad business buried in Apple's secret services #439: The best-selling author of Apple in China details how its rising ad ambitions are built on a tinderbox of trust, dependence and tension...

I've gathered insights from the publishers, ad buyers and editors growing Apple News.

They share the deals, growth hacks, ad revenues and whether it can scale to replace search.

I name publishers making tens of millions, and how it's building Apple’s new growth engine - a secretive ad business.

Social stew. Delicious - but can be fatal ☠️ open.substack.com/pub/rickysut...

Ads led Meta to connect predators with 1.4 million kids in a day #437: Social's record profits disguise a social tragedy, leading Australia and countries around the world to act on child harms...

Meta’s record profits lay bare a cancer at the soul of the digital economy - incentives to do inhumane things and be rewarded.

- Insta connected 1.4 million predators to underage kids in a day

- Meta was used by sex traffickers to recruit at a mass scale, and

- Meta knew but ignored it.

Tech monopolies are reshaping our existence in bad ways #437: And a better future relies not only on adaptation, but on reclaiming the oxygen that keeps us all alive...

Let's change course people... 🤔

Netflix’s ad threat and why it's buying backwards #436: The streamer just posted monster ad numbers but now it's shopping for yesterday’s model to fuel tomorrow's growth...

A step-by-step breakdown of the strategy that turned Netflix's ad flop into a 250% growth rocketship.

I reveal the CPMs, sell through, and markets that made it happen - and what it will do next to take it to the moon.

My thanks to Jan Topping from the Business of TV Substack for her insights.

Meta headed back to court on antitrust after FTC appeal Breaking news: Just 64 days after Zuck emerged victorious with his social network intact, America's regulators have launched an appeal...

Breaking news: Meta's victory lap after winning its antitrust trial has hit a hurdle this morning.

America's regulators have issued an appeal and are headed back to court to try to force the sale of Instagram and WhatsApp.

Insights from the Aussie blog turned $100 million phenom #433: Mamamia has 160 staff, 60 podcasts, 1.5 million listeners, 450,000 newsletter subs, two million monthly users on the web, and is still growing...

The inside story of how a one-person blog spawned a nine figure media Aussie media giant which now has its sights set on global expansion.

It’s a rare and welcome success story that’s turning the table on tech dominance by putting the customer first.

Is AI search reviving trust as the new ranking signal? #432: Google is facing a US$198 billion ultimate innovator’s dilemma, leading Bauer’s Stuart Forrest to pose an AI future few have seen coming...

Google is facing a US$198 billion ultimate innovator’s dilemma, leading Bauer Media’s Stuart Forrest to predict an AI future that very few will have seen coming...

South Africa did something similar just before Christmas.

Mail, Gannett closer on damages after Google stunt backfires #431: A high-stakes strategy to avoid a jury has gone awry, accelerating damages claims by two major publishers...

At Google’s ad tech trial last year, its lawyers pulled a rare legal stunt: They paid the damages before the trial started.

Like… WTF? 🤔

It seemed baffling, until you deciphered why. It didn't want a jury.

The strategy worked at first - but now it's coming at a price.

Inside Denmark's strategy to front run Europe on Big Tech deals #430: Apple's been referred to the police, Meta and TikTok faces fines the size of Bahrain's GDP and OpenAI and LinkedIn are headed to court...

🇩🇰 Denmark's gone to war with Big Tech and Europe is watching.

Apple's been referred to the police. Meta and TikTok face billion dollar fines. LinkedIn and OpenAI are headed to court.

It's formed a NATO for News uniting media companies into a collective to combat tech’s divide and conquer strategy.

Meta insiders break cover on Australia's under-16s ban #428: Two former chiefs reveal that Zuck knows how young kids are but chooses growth over safety - and how Australia can reset the world...

Two former Meta execs join me to discuss why they believe Australia’s “brave, heroic and important” under 16s social media ban can lead the world.

Australia's social media delay on under-16s is just the start #425: Youngsters woke today to find themselves blocked from social apps as a world first child safety law came into effect, but this is just phase one...

Australian youngsters woke this morning to find themselves locked out of social media. It will be just the beginning if regulators get their way…

AIs target vulnerable toddlers on YouTube for ad revenue #424: Hours before Australia begins a legal ban on YouTube for under-16s, a report reveals AI is targeting toddlers under two on the video platform...

Hands up if you think AI toddler targeting is an excellent idea...

eSafety chief says Big Tech smear campaign went after her kids #421: Australia is days from a world-first law forcing Big Tech to block under-16s, but as the net has closed, the dirty tricks have begun...

“The platforms hired people to undermine my credibility to conservative news media.

“I don’t know if it was payback or to try to weaken my position as a regulator, but they also tried to go after my kids.

“The platforms are really concerned about this legislation. They see it as the first domino."

eSafety chief says Big Tech smear campaign went after her kids #421: Australia is days from a world-first law forcing Big Tech to block under-16s, but as the net has closed, the dirty tricks have begun...

eSafety chief says Big Tech smear campaign went after her kids

Publishers will lack the courage to cut ties with Google without a full break-up #420: The antitrust lawyers have been back in court. Google says it will fix ad tech if it's left alone. The DoJ says no-one trusts Google any more...

Publishers will lack the courage to cut ties with Google without a full break-up

Journalism’s warrior taking the fight to DC and tech’s doorstep #418: The News/Media Alliance's CEO on AI theft, Google power, why regulators terrify tech, and the turning tide...

Journalism’s warrior taking the fight to DC and tech’s doorstep

Meta, Insta and WhatsApp saved from break-up - and it can thank TikTok #418: Zuck's been handed the keys to double down on its power over social and the future of synthetic AI after defeating the FTC in its antitrust case...

Meta, Insta and WhatsApp saved from break-up - and it can thank TikTok

The AI pact that transformed Reddit into a $39 billion rocketship #410: Plus, Apple exec might be headed for jail, US carmaker deletes CarPlay, Google yanks AI over false Senator sex claims, and come join Scotch&Watch live...

After an 18 month investigation, the numbers are in, and they’re mindblowing!

Our pleasure to have you big guy.

The AI Reboot: Nine pointers for publishers to win the next decade #406: Plus, Apple maps its ad future, Meta discovers it can help kids, Australia backs creators, TikTok's fined over data failures, and Chinese humanoids go on sale...

The Scotch & Watch World Tour rolled into Madrid as we took the rage on stage and brought the heat. 🇪🇸🔥🥃

It was standing room only as we shared hot takes and bold predictions on media, tech, and AI with OpenAI, The NY Times, The Atlantic, Time, Semafor, and more.

After a year of tech-tonic shifts, how about this as a big idea... #403: Plus, OpenAI launches a browser, Netflix sinks on earnings, Apple laps Disney, RayBans soar on Meta vision, and three letters that unlocked AI...

I just presented a huge idea to the board of global publisher industry group FIPP in Madrid. If they take it, it’ll change the trajectory of media.

The splinternet is here as AI and FOMO makes bits start to bite #398: Two-thirds of the planet now lives behind data borders. For global media, the challenge isn’t scale any more - it’s smarter thinking...

Big post on the invisible menace that's locking up most of the web. open.substack.com/pub/rickysut...

Google asks court to allow its AI a free ride on Maps and YouTube #394: The search giant argues the AI market is still forming and its rivals are bundling already, but the judge fears it could spawn a new monopoly...

Who's being taken for a ride here?

WaPo challenges ChatGPT in the AI conversation game #387: I tested Ask The Post on America’s debt crisis. The results were sharp, sourced - and a glimpse of how we’ll interrogate the news in future...

This looks like a signal for how readers will be able to interrogate the news in the future...

After 987 days and $823 billion, Google’s fate rests with one judge #391: Judge Leonie Brinkema will now decide whether to dismantle Google or trust it to reform itself - a choice that will decide the economics of publishing...

Google’s a 3x monopolist and Judge Leonie Brinkema will deliver a ruling before Christmas that will determine the economics and direction of global digital advertising.

Yesterday, the final word went to Matthew Wheatland of The Daily Mail. He’s no mug, and that’s why he didn’t miss...