The Monopoly Report Episode 70: Ad Tech at a Turning Point with Allison Schiff of AdExchanger
Mar 25, 2026
Allison Schiff, managing editor at AdExchanger who covers privacy and ad tech, joins to unpack industry tensions around surveillance advertising and recent DHS interest. She discusses why companies stay silent, how incentives shape behavior more than ethics, the limits of regulation on location and sensitive data, and which forces might actually push reform.
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How Allison Learned Ad Tech Amid Jargon Overload
- Allison recalled joining AdExchanger and being lost at editorial meetings where everyone spoke in DSP/SSP/RTB jargon.
- She said she feared being found out but has been there nearly 13 years learning the space despite lingering gaps.
Silence After ICE RFI Was A Collective Flinch
- The industry's silence after the ICE RFI was a collective flinch not indifference.
- Allison Schiff observed inboxes that usually overflowed with pitches went quiet, indicating companies feared reputational fallout and avoided public positions.
Publicly Declare Limits On Data For Enforcement
- Take a public, specific stand on sensitive government uses of data to show responsibility.
- Allison recommended companies say clear rules like we will not provide granular location or behavioral data for immigration enforcement.
