YouTube Monetization Shake-Up: YouTube is raising the bar for new creators’ ad revenue, effective Feb. 1, 2027, to 8,000 valid watch hours (or 20M valid Shorts views) plus the same 1,000-subscriber requirement, and it’s also tightening Shorts revenue rules. AI-Search Ad Pushback: Perplexity says it blocked Time’s “markdown” ads from influencing its AI search results, warning publishers against “deceptive” agent-targeted ads. Adtech Consolidation: Experian is retiring the Audigent brand, folding it into Experian Marketing Services as it doubles down on agentic marketing ambitions. Platform Monetization Pivot: X is ending its legacy creator revenue-sharing and moving to an “Original Content Rewards Programme” tied to Qualified Impressions from X Premium subscribers. Regulatory/Legal Pressure: A US judge ruled Meta destroyed or allowed essential data to be erased in an Australian tycoon fake-ad case, while FCC guidance continues to shape what political ads can say (including profanity). Cross-Media Buying: Southern Cross Media says it has closed its first multi-platform TV+audio ad deals post-merger, with advertisers increasingly planning both. New Commerce Tools for Creators: Blink launched a public storefront/checkout platform for digital products, positioning itself as a single merchant-of-record account. Local/OOH Ops: Printzone Advertising in Dubai supports CID/RTA vehicle branding approvals, coordinating design and submissions for fleet and car branding.