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🥇 420K SITES TARGETED WITH AI SEO SPAM

🫡 Scammers really said “Thanks, OpenAI”: A new report has exposed AkiraBot, a spam tool that bypassed CAPTCHAs and used OpenAI to target 420,000 websites, successfully spamming 80,000. AkiraBot floods website comment sections and customer service chatbots with AI-generated spam, pushing a $30/month SEO scheme that promises to get you on the front page of Google... but it's a scam. more

• The bot targeted sites built on platforms like Wix $NASDAQ ( 0.0% ) and Squarespace $SQSP ( ▼ 0.21% ) , sidestepping spam filters by generating slightly varied messages using OpenAI’s GPT-4o-mini.

• It even bypassed CAPTCHA systems using browser fingerprinting and automation tools like Selenium.

• The operators behind AkiraBot run the SEO business under various names, often including the terms "Akira" or "ServiceWrap."

• OpenAI has disabled the compromised API key and is investigating.

🥈 CONSUMER CONFIDENCE LEFT THE CHAT

🚨 It’s giving… recession: Consumer sentiment fell for the fourth straight month, dropping 11% from March — down more than 30% since December 2024. The decline was broad across all demographics and political affiliations, reflecting growing concern over trade tensions and inflation. more

• Year-ahead inflation expectations spiked to 6.7%, the highest since 1981.

• Consumers flagged multiple red flags: worsening expectations for business conditions, personal finances, incomes, inflation, and labour markets.

• The share expecting unemployment to rise has more than doubled since November and is now at its highest level since 2009.

🥉 TIKTOK LAYS OFF E-COMMERCE TEAM

TikTok has laid off employees from its U.S.-based ecommerce global governance and experience team — its second round of cuts this year, following February layoffs to the trust and safety team. more

• This team oversees product listings, seller compliance, and IP protection within TikTok Shop.

• The number of layoffs hasn't been confirmed, but the move signals mounting pressure on the unit.

• Reports suggest some employees received low-performance review scores and were placed on improvement plans, while others were let go outright.

Today’s Other News

📰 EVERYTHING ELSE THAT MATTERS

Advertising 📣

• Reddit has added a new Partner Collaboration option in Ads Manager, which lets advertisers invite partner brands or agencies to collaborate on ad campaigns. The new "Partners" page lets businesses share profiles, usernames, and payment methods. more

The Tariff Hellscape 🔥 

• The European Union could impose new taxes on American tech companies like Google $GOOGL ( ▲ 2.79% ) and $META ( ▼ 0.49% ) if the U.S. and Europe can't get their trade talks sorted. The EU Commission President said that retaliatory measures, including a potential levy on digital ad revenues, are being considered. This follows President Trump's decision to pause reciprocal tariffs with the EU for 90 days to negotiate trade agreements. more

Social Media 📱

• Bluesky's new app update introduces a new "Explore" search page with trending topics, suggested accounts, and starter packs to help users discover content. Users can also adjust their interests for personalized content. The update also adds emoji reactions in DMs, letting users hold down on messages and select an emoji for quick interaction, similar to other chat apps. The update is rolling out now. more

• Canva has added new LinkedIn video templates, designed to align with the platform's trending video themes. The new LinkedIn Ads app for Canva lets marketers export assets directly to their LinkedIn Ads account for campaign creation and promotion, with customizable options like graphics, prompts, and frames. more

• Creators and brands are navigating a crowded social media landscape, where constant algorithm changes make monetizing content increasingly difficult. To overcome these challenges, Digiday reports how creators are turning to automation tools to deliver monetizable content, like Collective Voice’s Shop The Look, which automatically sends affiliate links via Instagram DMs when followers engage with posts.

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