Reuters and Time adopt bot-blocking whitelists to rein in AI crawlers

June 09, 2026 Reuters and Time adopted a “block-all” AI bot strategy, part of a broader publisher move toward whitelist-only access. Time now allows about 70 bots to access onsite content, according to its COO Mark Howard. Those bots range from crawlers run by big AI labs and social platforms, to the automated systems Time uses to keep its own website running. TOP STORY The Business of AI Reuters and Time adopt bot-blocking whitelists to rein in AI crawlers Reuters and Time adopt a ‘block-all’ AI bot strategy, part of a broader publisher move toward whitelist-only access. Advertisement OTHER THINGS TO KNOW According to a recent Digiday and Piano survey, the majority of publishers (84%) are currently using or actively piloting AI tools for ad sales or ad operations, including proposal generation and campaign management. Partner insights from Piano. AI agents are beginning to influence how media is planned, bought and optimized — and publishers risk being left behind if their data and infrastructure aren’t prepared. Partner insights from Optable. Shifting sports rights to streamers has made regional and local sports that much more valuable because fragmentation makes it much harder for national buys alone to reach local fans effectively. Partner insights from DIRECTV Advertising. MARKETING Brands in Culture  ‘Storytelling hierarchy is starting to flatten’: Tribeca Enterprise CEO on why brands are making the festival a must-stop The south of France isn’t the only place in June CMOs flock to for creative currency. The Programmatic Marketer How automation and AI is reshaping the traditional upfront marketplace As programmatic automation and AI agents reshape the traditional upfront marketplace, media buyers are navigating a new balance. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM NEXXEN How platforms can win the next era of TV advertising TV has never been richer in signals, but not all signals are created equal. Evolving Agencies Mile Marker acquires Lift to enhance its creative and digital performance chops The PE-owned independent continues to acquire shops that round its offerings, the latest adding creative and performance assets as the two explore how to apply AI. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM CELTRA Why AI-generated creative makes measurement essential Connecting creative decisions to business outcomes has been the hardest part of advertising to operationalize. The volume pressure that generative AI has introduced is the strongest argument the industry has for doing it properly. Advertisement The Sports Marketing Playbook Brands are catching World Cup fever even without official sponsorships Some smaller U.S. startups, like Crumbl Cookies and Olipop, are getting into the spirit of the World Cup with watch parties and soccer-themed products. DIGIDAY+ Member exclusive Ad Tech Briefing: The crunch conversations at Cannes Lions now Publicis is buying LiveRamp Agencies and marketers are rethinking identity infrastructure, and there are a few ways forward.  PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM VIOOH How programmatic DOOH is evolving into an omnichannel play By using real-time location data, demographic insights and behavioral patterns, pDOOH can be traded alongside mobile, social and search ads in a single omnichannel campaign. Written by Jim Cooper and Sara Jerde Were you forwarded this email? Sign up to get it daily. Advertise | Digiday+ | Events | Awards Update your email | Unsubscribe | Privacy policy