AI's alliances of convenience, the blurred lines of journalism, how to hijack your AI, and all eyes on search

4Chan vs Ofcom, ads glow up, small errors and big drama - all in this week's Content Aware.

Published: 15:11, 16 October 2025

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The first step in any future action by UK regulators on Google's search monopoly has been taken - the tech firm has been designated of Strategic Market Status by the UK national competitions regulator, the CMA. As important as this is for setting boundaries in the future, our sultan of search Rob wonders if the body has the right powers or insight to unpick the interminably difficult puzzle of why sites succeed or fail.
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Rivals team up!
With the rise of AI, the rules of tech rivalry have been rewritten, as now fierce competitors are turning into uneasy partners in high-stakes games of billion dollar alliances. All of Silicon Valleys biggest players are weaving tangled webs of partnerships, cloud deals, and investments, all to keep up with the deals and demands, the lines between friend and foes seemingly blurred. But it's important not to forget that as this billion-dollar ecosystem grows more interconnected it also gets more delicate, which means that one wrong move could bring the whole house crashing down.
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Stop the churn
Local advertisers have money to spend, and many are happy with the results of doing so. Why then is there a failure between themselves and publishers that sees too many such commercial relationships last only for a short time? This report into US local news and ad markets shows it's a question of partners vs providers.
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Who counts as a journalist?
According to Americans, it seems that the definition of a journalist is up for debate. Are podcasters and influences proper news voices? What do people even want from their news sources? Pew Research Center digs a bit deeper.
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Opt out or adapt
Now it's baked into everything from healthcare and tech to job applications, AI is no longer a futuristic maybe. It's everywhere. While it promises convenience, it also delivers a side of privacy issues, bias, and energy overload. You want to opt out? Good luck with that. While regulators are scrambling to catch up, one thing is clear: navigating the AI era is less about escape, and more about smart resistance.
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Google plays hide and seek with EU regulators
Google is playing a high stakes game in Europe, giving its search results a nudge to avoid paying a hefty antitrust fine. The tech giant's latest move aims to level the playing field for rivals with price comparison and vertical search, allowing equal billing alongside Google's own services. While Google hopes these changes will satisfy EU regulators, it also warns that pushing it too far might just end up helping middlemen instead of the business themselves.
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Google's scroll and hide
Google is reshuffling the ad deck in Search, adding a new "Sponsored results" section at the top which you can hide - but only after you've looked at it. And just to make sure you've actually seen the ads, there is a second sponsored block waiting for you at the bottom, making sure no-one escapes the ad maze that easily. The update is rolling out both on mobile and desktop globally.
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Hands off Pikachu
Japan has fired a warning shot at OpenAI over Sora 2, demanding it stops generating videos with copyrighted characters such as Pikachu and Mario. The government cites cultural and legal concerns, hinting at actions under its AI Promotion Act. OpenAI says it offered opt outs and promises more control, but backlash from studios such as Nintendo continues as the copyright clash is just getting started.
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A reality check for HMG
UK MPs are throwing cold water on the Government's promise to save £45 billion with AI in the public sector, saying the figure is more wishful thinking than solid math and very hard to achieve without major job cuts or tech miracles. To make things worse, a recent AI trial shows that AI doesn't really move the needle much when it comes to productivity in the public sector.
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Tiny typos, huge costs
Typos have always been a part of journalism, from the scandalous to the funny. Some turn into gold mines for collectors, while others unleash chaos. Ever wondered which ones came with a heftiest price tag? Look away now, Chief Subs!
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AI backdoors: a quick guide
A new study is shaking up the world of AI security, revealing that just 250 poisoned documents can sneak backdoors into LLMs, no matter their size. While these backdoors currently only trigger some gibberish, the findings spotlight a sneaky vulnerability which could open doors to much bigger risks. It's time to double down on defences before hackers get any smarter.
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Sora 2 sparks showdown with Hollywood
Hollywood isn't rolling out the red carpet for OpenAI's Sora 2 - instead it's firing out more cease-and-desists and icy statements over the tool's "opt out" policy for actor likenesses and IP. Talent agencies and studios are arguing that asking for forgiveness is not how copyright laws work, while OpenAI users are grumbling that the back-pedal last week to remove some copyrighted characters means they can't create clips with their favourite characters. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman insists that some rights holders are eager to join in, but we think the real drama is yet to come.
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An online safety showdown 
4chan is ready to kick off a transatlantic clash, thumbing its nose at a £20,000 fine from UK regulator Ofcom delivered under the country's controversial new Online Safety Act. The famously anything-goes platform ignored Ofcom' demands for risk assessment on content and now faces £100 a day in mounting penalties, to which 4chan's lawyers say doesn't apply to the US site.
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