September 5, 2025  |  SIGN UP

Jim Cooper
DIGIDAY, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

One of those busy short weeks made all the more so with the Google search remedies handed down on Tuesday by Judge Amit Mehtam, who issued his ruling in the Department of Justice’s search antitrust case against Google which, after a year in the making, stopped short of directing Google to divest its central search holdings Android and Chrome.

The ruling was met with a shrug of resignation and disappointment from advertising and media land as it, for the most part, doesn’t change much beyond a handful of guardrails to keep the search giant in check.

On top of the breaking news and news analysis by us this week, this morning we published an incisive guide to what’s in and out after the historic, but anticlimactic, remedies ruling. The ultimate winner is, of course, Google. It’s defense that gen AI has changed everything beyond the scope of the original DOJ case likely carried the day. Validation or Kabuki Theater? …Read more below ICYMI – Happy Friday!

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MARKETING

Digiday’s definitive list for what’s in and out after Google’s antitrust search remedies ruling

For anyone trying to keep track of what exactly made it into the final judgment, and how things will be going forward, here is a list of the key takeaways.

GOOGLE ON TRAIL

Angry and disappointed, if not surprised: The ad industry reacts to the Google search remedies ruling 

“Even when they lose, they win.” That summarizes the response to yesterday’s remedies ruling in Google’s antitrust trial, with reactions varying from vehement criticism to resignation. 

SPONSORED BY SIMPLI.FI

How marketers are combining AI optimization with human oversight

Automation handles micro-adjustments at speed and scale, but human judgment is still vital for marketers navigating constant market shifts. This hybrid approach ensures precision as well as creative and strategic alignment across complex campaigns.

THE CONFESSIONS

Confessions: How an indie agency’s over-reliance on AI drove it out of business

In this candid conversation, an indie agency exec talks us through the collapse of their agency, which slid into administration in July after its founder and creative figurehead became convinced that generative AI tools would provide a silver bullet solution for existential business threats.

SPONSORED BY ADSTRA

Why composable identity infrastructure needs to extend beyond marketing

Marketing has become the center of excellence for identity and is often the only department where person-level resolution is operationalized at scale. Many of the most valuable business functions — revenue management, sales, loyalty and analytics — depend on the same core requirement: recognizing individuals accurately across systems and contexts.

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EVOLVING AGENCIES

WPP’s new boss Cindy Rose starts today: Here’s what will be on her to-do list

In hiring her, WPP’s leadership have made a tacit confession that the solutions to its many challenges are unlikely to come from within the advertising business.

ZERO-CLICK FUTURE

How The Wall Street Journal is strategizing for ‘Google zero’

In a recent “Ask Our Editors” Digiday virtual event, Ed Hyatt, director of newsroom SEO at The Wall Street Journal, shared what his team is focused on amid the threat of “Google zero,” or a future where Google keeps audiences inside its walls.

SPONSORED BY REALTOR.COM

Why recent movers are a prime ad targeting opportunity for brands

Recent homebuyers or renters form new habits — like purchasing new products, exploring different brands and outfitting their homes with updated items. If they get their targeting right, advertisers have a key opportunity to reach new consumers who may not have known about a brand otherwise.

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