Google’s breaking down, but we need to keep our eye on the ball

Arielle Garcia quit as one of the world's top privacy experts to gain the freedom to ask the tough questions. Now she’s delivering on her promise…

Arielle Garcia was UM Worldwide’s global privacy chief before quitting to expose unethical practices, including the toxic interdependency between Big Tech and agency groups.

Her job was to thread a needle between the financial needs of advertisers, brand safety on the open web, and to protect consumer privacy. What she saw led her to the door.

After 10 years on the frontline, she shook the industry with an explosive op-ed in AdExchanger warning dysfunction would “commoditise ads into obsolescence”.

“I’m leaving to emancipate myself from the shackles of inherent conflicts and chains of the status quo that pervade our collective progress.

“I am leaving to have the independence required to move the industry forward and for the freedom to use my voice.

“I’m leaving because this industry can’t survive if we don’t ask the hard questions – questions that we may not like the answers to, but without which we will not move forward. 

“I’m leaving not because I’m done, but because it’s time to get st…