Background
Taboola, a billion‑dollar ad‑tech giant, has long been criticized for serving low‑quality and sometimes borderline‑untrustworthy ads. In 2024 Axios reported a partnership between Apple and Taboola to place ads on Apple News, raising eyebrows among industry observers.
What Kirk McElhearn Reported
Veteran tech reporter Kirk McElhearn published an article titled “I Now Assume that All Ads on Apple News Are Scams”. He noted that many ads on Apple News look like scams, featuring AI‑generated product images, recent domain registrations, and deceptive tactics warned against by the U.S. Better Business Bureau.
Red Flags in the Ads
- Domains created within the last month.
- AI‑generated images with visible watermarks (e.g., Google Gemini).
- Misleading “click‑bait” language that the BBB flags as deceptive.
- Offers that sound too good to be true, such as unrealistic discounts or miracle products.
Why This Matters for Apple
Apple News aims to provide a premium, ad‑supported experience. When a significant portion of the ad inventory appears low‑quality or potentially fraudulent, it erodes user trust and tarnishes Apple’s brand, especially as the company pushes for more ads across its ecosystem.
What Users Can Do
Readers can protect themselves by staying vigilant and following a few simple steps:
- Hover over links to view the actual URL before clicking.
- Check the domain’s age using WHOIS lookup tools.
- Look for obvious AI‑generated imagery or watermarks.
- Report suspicious ads directly to Apple through the “Report Ad” feature.
Conclusion
The partnership between Apple and Taboola highlights a tension between monetization and user experience. While not every ad is a scam, the prevalence of low‑quality content calls for stricter vetting and greater transparency to maintain confidence in Apple News.