Let’s keep the web-wide open

Today we’re shining a spotlight on the importance of independent publishers and the open web more broadly with the launch of a new initiative, Web Wide Open. 

The advertising industry is undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation that will shape what types of companies and content creators will thrive in the new digital advertising ecosystem. And even though the end of third-party cookies is delayed to 2023, we believe it is critical to maintain all of our collective efforts to ensure the coming changes do not allow the larger tech platforms to gain even more power at the expense of the open web, and independent publishers and creators.

Today, tens of thousands of amazing publishers and entrepreneurs make a living as content creators. They add an incalculable amount to the quality and diversity of content on the open web. Advertising makes it possible for these publishers to create content that reaches hundreds of millions of people each month.

Our aim with this effort is to ensure these extraordinary content creators are considered as we develop the path forward. Consumers will suffer if the primary source of information becomes the social media feed. And advertisers lose out when tech platforms gain too much power. It makes it much more challenging to connect with consumers through high-quality content from across the web. 

Our hope with Web Wide Open is to help educate and further galvanize the many stakeholders who will drive the future of advertising and be impacted by the upcoming changes. We are committed to working with advertisers, agencies, regulators, and tech partners to find the best solutions for everyone. Above all, we want to ensure the importance of independent publishers and their value in creating the web we all know and love is at the forefront. 

If we work together, we can find a better way that works for everyone. One that respects consumer privacy but doesn’t make it more difficult for advertisers to support creators directly on the open web. 

The Web Wide Open website was designed as a resource for everyone who touches digital advertising. We’ve included interviews with some of the incredible publishers we work with at CafeMedia who share how advertising impacts their businesses. Plus, industry leaders from Clorox, News Corp, and Meredith Corporation (to name a few) discuss the impact of industry changes on their businesses and what comes next. The site also includes explainers and weekly recaps to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in this fast-moving conversation. 

Ready to get involved? Sign up for the Web Wide Open weekly newsletter to let our experts monitor all the news for you and deliver it straight to your inbox. And help us get the word out by sharing across your social channels. 

Let’s tell the world that if we work together, we can make sure what comes next protects the freedom, diversity, and openness of the web we all know and love. 

Keep the web-wide open.

Michael Sanchez. CEO