Apple finally explains its Safari block

October 20, 2026 Apple has 86 open roles tagged Apple Ads as its latest Safari blocklist revives questions about how its privacy policies affect rival ad businesses. Ad execs have filled the gap with theories of their own, most of them shaped by the last time Apple changed the rules. TOP STORY Marketing on Platforms Apple finally explains its Safari block, and identity companies are in its sights As Apple spells out its case for blocking identity companies in Safari, its job board shows an ads business with big plans. OTHER THINGS TO KNOW Join us Dec. 1-3 in Nashville for the Digiday Programmatic Marketing Summit, bringing together brand and agency leaders navigating the next era of programmatic. Don’t miss the chance to connect one-on-one with execs from VML, Horizon Media, OMD and many other industry-leading brands and agencies. The biggest podcast audience isn’t necessarily the most valuable one. According to a new report, tightly engaged, mid-sized shows can outperform celebrity podcasts, with advertisers on mid-sized podcasts seeing 22% lower CPA. Partner insights from Audacy. Most audience data tells who someone is and what bucket they fit in. That’s useful information, but an inference. Purchase and intent data reveal what someone is actually doing, and whether they’re about to buy. Partner insights from The Trade Desk. Advertisement MARKETING AI Revenue Generation Forbes looks to Google AI pilot for insights as publishers seek value beyond the click Forbes has joined Google’s paid News AI pilot that gives Google expanded rights to its content to test new ways of providing readers with context about stories before they click through. Zero-click Future Inside the post-Google playbook: Subscriptions, AI and team reorgs As Google traffic dries up, publishers are pivoting from Google traffic to subscriptions, AI visibility and newsroom reorgs. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM TRIPLELIFT Live session: Cracking the CTV code to build scalable audiences Register for this webinar on Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. ET where experts from Cint, iSpot and TripleLift will dissect how to integrate survey, first-party and programmatic insights to build high-performing, scalable CTV audiences. The Creator Economy How a fashion creator turned audience demand into a 500+ client styling business  A creator with a fashion merchandising degree speaks on her quest to diversify revenue fast, from styling to sweat equity investment. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM ARC XP Publishers adopt new content strategies in the AI search era In a new Digiday and Arc XP survey, 76% of publisher respondents said that audiences have shifted toward summary-first consumption of content. Advertisement DIGIDAY+ Member exclusive Ad Tech Briefing: Can flipping the ad auction wrest control of ad tech from Google? Prebid wants to change one of the key fundamentals of ad tech. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM BLUEPEAR Why independent measurement is essential for evaluating incremental growth Affiliate marketing credits whoever owns the final link before the transaction — even as brands invest in awareness, content, influencers and media to create demand before the actual purchase.  ICYMI The Programmatic Publisher Apple’s Safari ad tech blocklist sends publishers back to IAB Tech Lab's Trusted Server What publishers once filed under someday now has a deadline, and Apple set it. Data & Privacy Apple’s secret blocklist is the talk of Advertising Week New York (mostly off the record) Ad execs at Advertising Week want to know one thing: are they on Apple’s block list. 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