That’s precisely it. The “middle” are for-profit intermediaries (Google being largest) who seek to maximize their own welfare - which has to come from somewhere. The principals (advertisers and publishers) will always lose out over time unless “the middle” works for them.
This is why new data protection rules forcing “the middle” to act as service providers for the publishers are critical. It’s why advertisers demanding to know where their ads and $ end up matters. It’s why shining a light and eliminating opacity and mystery is important.
It’s also why Google using its dominance and data collection machine to thrive on all sides of the market is a key area of focus for House Judiciary, nearly 50 state AGs, Justice Dept and FTC antitrust investigations.
