E-commerce marketing · Industry brief

Moloco has become the first ad tech company to achieve IAB Europe's Retail Media Certification, as announced at IAB Europe's Retail Media Impact Summit in October 2026. The independent audit by ABC UK verified Moloco's technology capabilities for on-site display and sponsored product ads across web, mobile and in-app, confirming its measurement and reporting meet IAB Europe's Commerce Retail Media Measurement Standards. The certification marks a significant expansion of the programme beyond retailers to technology providers, with five additional companies currently under audit, supporting greater consistency and transparency across the retail media supply chain as the ecosystem scales with multiple partners.

On September 30, 2026, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 690, substantially limiting private enforcement under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA). The law eliminates private lawsuits for alleged violations of CIPA's pen-register provisions—which plaintiffs had increasingly used to challenge e-commerce websites' use of analytics, advertising pixels, and tracking technologies—leaving enforcement principally to the California Attorney General. The legislation applies retroactively and will cover many existing claims, providing relief to businesses that had faced significant statutory damages exposure for routine website practices. However, the change does not eliminate private claims under CIPA's wiretapping and eavesdropping provisions, which plaintiffs have also used to target advertising pixels and similar technologies, so businesses should continue reviewing their website tracking and consent practices.

New York City's "Click to Cancel" rule took effect on October 1, 2026, establishing the first municipal subscription cancellation requirements in the United States. The rule treats noncompliant automatic renewal practices as deceptive trade practices under City Consumer Protection Law and departs from New York State's Automatic Renewal Law in meaningful ways, including a requirement that businesses offering in-person enrollment must provide an online cancellation option. DCWP commissioner Samuel Levine, formerly of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, expects other municipalities to follow suit before federal action, making NYC a test case for evolving compliance frameworks. Enforcement is complaint-driven through a dedicated portal at nyc.gov/click-to-cancel, with violations subject to escalating fines ($525 first violation, $1,050 second, $3,500 third or subsequent) plus restitution calculated from consumers' first cancellation attempt. The rule prohibits unreasonable cancellation barriers including hanging up on callers, obscuring cancellation information, misrepresenting consequences or delays, and requiring consumers to cancel through different channels than enrollment. Businesses face national exposure given DCWP's position that geographic compliance is now triggered at the city level, making it possible to violate NYC rules while complying with state law.