Telemetry, an ad-tech outfit that specialized in detecting fraudulent traffic and was once tipped to be worth $486m plus a possible IPO, has closed its operations The Drum has learned -- a development that took place in the immediate aftermath of the recent Methbot revelations. Industry sources note that Telemetry closed its operations with short notice on the final day of 2016.

The EU has proposed a slew of comms legislation that will bring the likes of Google's Gmail, Apple's iMessage, Facebook Messenger and more under the same user information restrictions currently abided by telecom firms. Amid the changes is also a clarification on ad blockers -- solely that they are legal to use, and for publishers to track.

Britain's biggest online-only grocer has contacted media agencies and it is believed that the company is looking to spend up to GBP5m on marketing in traditional broadcast media. Ocado is believed to be keen to raise awareness in its battle with the big grocers and newer rivals such as Amazon Fresh, particularly as inflation is on the rise because of sterling's slide.

Phillipson will take up the newly created role on 1 February after revealing in July that he was stepping down as chief executive of the IAB after 12 years in the role. It is the first time iCrossing has had a UK chairman and both Phillipson and UK chief executive Mark Iremonger report into global chief executive Nick Brien.

Amazon is advertising for a head of marketing, esports, research and community for the new European office of Amazon Game Studios, as it aims for a bigger slice of the $100bn (GBP82.4bn) global gaming industry.

Snap, the owner of Snapchat, has confirmed it will make the UK its main hub outside the U.S. The tech giant, which is reportedly preparing for a $25bn (GBP21bn) stock market float on Wall Street, said the UK was "a great place to build a global business." The likes of Apple, Google, Facebook and others have chosen lower tax regimes, such as Ireland, for a base in Europe.

Yahoo Inc. CEO Marissa Mayer plans to leave the company's board after the sale of its core business to Verizon is completed, when it will also rebrand as Altaba. Mayer joins co-founder David Filo and four other directors, who are stepping down from the new company as shareholders in Alibaba Group Holding Inc. and Yahoo Japan. Yahoo will change its name to Altaba Inc.

A total of 115 journalists died in 2016 simply for doing their jobs, according to the annual report compiled by the International News Safety Institute (INSI), Killing the Messenger. The year began and ended with mass tragedies involving media workers -- in Afghanistan, Colombia and Russia.

Uber has been accused of "cashing in" on the Tube strike in London after commuters were hit by huge surges in pricing. Disgruntled commuters have reacted angrily to the fares being quoted by Uber as they struggled to cope due to the lack of London Underground services.

Terri-Louise Jean Stanner was the director and founder of Manchester-based Safetywatch UK, which sold ads in health and safety at work and road awareness publications. The company itself was wound up almost two years ago, in April 2015. The subsequent investigation found that under Stanner's control, Safetywatch had failed to produce and publish ads that customers had paid for.