Around the World: Amazon blocks ChatGPT

Media expert Antony Young rounds up media news from beyond Aotearoa in a regular column for StopPress.

This week:

• As Thanksgiving draws closer, retailers in the US are gearing up for Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Green Wednesday.
• Major media companies are circling to acquire WBD. In the running are Paramount, Comcast and Netflix.
• Amazon has blocked ChatGPT from scraping its site, encouraging users to engage with its own AI shopping tools.
• People are starting to “defy the algorithm” and are looking for unpredictability in their social media platforms.
• Powerful PSA urges the release of the Epstein files
• Catch up on sessions from Advertising: Who Cares? London Summit

Green Wednesday, Thanksgiving’s other retail bump

You’ve heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, paramount events in the retailers calendar that accompany Thanksgiving (coming up on November 27). But now marketers have latched onto an new date: Green Wednesday, the unofficial shopping day for anyone prepping for the increasingly iconic “cousin walk.” 

With cannabis being legalised in 24 states for recreational use, the once covert stroll to “get some air,” has morphed into a full-blown cultural moment.  

We are seeing dispensary promotions, themed products and snack brands giving not-so-subtle winks to the stoned masses. The week prior to Thanksgiving is now the second highest sales week after 4/20, the unofficial weed holiday. 

Critics fret about safety and appropriateness, but for devotees, the tradition is really about escaping the din, getting through another forced family holiday and momentarily bonding over stories too honest for mum and dad at the dinner table.  

Companies circling to acquire WBD

Former Three owner Warner Bros. Discovery is garnering significant interest as Paramount, Comcast and Netflix formally enter the race to buy some or all of one of Hollywood’s most influential companies.

Analysts argue that the fierce interest reflects just how valuable WBD’s content library is, especially its premium IP like DC, HBO and Harry Potter.

Paramount is currently the only contender aiming to acquire the entire WBD empire which includes HBO, HGTV and other cable networks. The media company holds a strong position thanks to the financial backing of Larry Ellison and his connections to the White House. He allegedly discussed axing CNN hosts not favoured by President Trump.

Meanwhile, Comcast and Netflix are focused on the studios and streaming assets and would need to offload the linear channels if chosen. 

Wolfe Research’s Peter Supino suggests Netflix may be pursuing a bid to slash third-party licensing costs and gain more control over its shows. But experts also warn of serious risks: a deal involving Comcast could stoke vertical integration concerns, while a Netflix takeover might draw antitrust scrutiny over streaming dominance, potentially triggering a wave of regulatory resistance. Warner Bros. Discovery’s stock has climbed 122% year to date.  

Amazon blocks ChatGPT

We are witnessing the start of the next disruption in retail. GenX readers might recall the Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan film You’ve Got Mail, where the mega national bookstore chains displaced small independents, only for Amazon to upend the whole industry. 

Now Amazon itself is feeling the pressure from AI. The e-commerce giant has quietly blocked OpenAI’s ChatGPT crawlers from accessing its site, a move designed to prevent third-party AI agents from scraping product data, monitoring prices, or making automated purchases. While competitors like Walmart, Target and Etsy are integrating their stores into AI shopping tools and seeing surging referral traffic, Amazon is doubling down on its own AI offerings, like “Auto Buy” and the “Buy For Me” agent to keep shoppers inside its ecosystem.

Analysts note that part of the motivation is financial: Amazon generates roughly $ 50 billion a year from advertising, a business that depends on visitors browsing its own site rather than being redirected through AI platforms. This underscores its desire to remain the “front door” of e-commerce as AI-driven commerce rises.

Defy the algorithm: People want social media unpredicatability

Research undertaken by Mintel shows that after a decade of algorithm-driven personalisation, consumers are now pushing back against being over-targeted and overfed content.

Users feel trapped in narrow digital bubbles defined by repetitive influencer content and brand sameness. According to Mintel’s Diana Kelter, consumers, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are rebelling against the algorithm’s control by seeking more human, unpredictable and authentic online experiences.

Platforms like Pinterest now encourage users to “defy the algorithm,” while Spotify lets listeners retrain their recommendations. This movement is visible in digital behaviour shifts: Gen Z festival-goers use old-school digital cameras instead of phones, many young adults are ditching dating apps for real-world connections like run clubs, and parents are curbing kids’ screen exposure. The trend signals a larger cultural correction of people who still want personalisation, but on their own terms.

Epstein survivors’ TV ad urges release of files

Around now, trade media gets inundated with brands announcing they will be advertising in the Super Bowl. But an ad playing in last week’s Monday Night Football by an anti-trafficking group airing a powerful PSA featuring survivors of Jeffrey Epstein could well top any of these ad storylines.  

An emotional appeal to “bring the secrets out of the shadows,” the ad ran ahead of a House vote to release Epstein’s files. The ad was only produced the day before, having fast-tracked approvals and contracts with the TV network. LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman reportedly helped fund the effort.

Despite the logistical hurdles and high costs, the PSA became a viral “holy s…” moment, drawing widespread media coverage and social reaction, with its success credited to the strength and urgency of the survivors’ message. US lawmakers overwhelmingly passed the bill to release the Epstein files.

Advertising: Who Cares? London summit

Advertising: Who Cares? Is an initiative founded by two well known UK agency industry veterans Brian Jacobs and Nick Manning in London. They argue that modern advertising is in crisis, and set about promoting a re-think of the industry. 

Their 2025 London Summit, last month invited keynote speakers to address some key themes that I think resonate across our industry here as well. All the presentations just went up online last week and can be viewed on their website.   

Ad business model specialist Caroline Johnson stressed that the industry must urgently reform its business models, moving agencies away from opaque, service-based structures that prioritise value over profit-seeking. Under trading, transparency and trust, speakers highlighted how practices like principal media buying, where agencies resell inventory at a markup erode integrity and client confidence, calling for greater openness and accountability in media planning.

Finally, the summit underscored the case for quality media, warning that over-reliance on Big Tech platforms is starving journalism and high-quality content of revenue, and urging advertisers to reinvest in pluralistic, trusted media to restore balance across the industry. Well worth cherry-picking some of these sessions.

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