The Impact of Oracle's Advertising Shutdown

Oracle Advertising officially shut down its services on September 30th, a move that caught many employees by surprise, especially given the lack of communication prior to the announcement. This decision underscores the challenges Oracle faced in the ad tech space, particularly around privacy concerns and changing industry dynamics. Omar Tawakal, who previously held a significant role at Oracle after the acquisition of BlueKai, reflected on the development with mixed feelings. Although he has fond memories of his time there, Tawakal acknowledged that the company could have adapted its strategy to prioritize data processing over third-party data ownership for better long-term viability.