AppLovin shares plunge 20% after third short-selling firm slams company's ad technology

"If APP is not deplatformed, logically, numerous competitors will start copying APP's techniques because there is little technology involved," the firm wrote. The report said that AppLovin's ad tactics "systematically" violate app stores' terms of service by "impermissibly extracting proprietary IDs from Meta , Snap , TikTok, Reddit , Google , and others." In so doing, AppLovin is funneling targeted ads to users without their consent, Muddy Waters said. But Muddy Waters Research on Thursday became the third short-selling firm to publish a report meant to raise significant investor skepticism. The stock is down 19% in 2025 after Thursday's drop. AppLovin tumbled $65.92 to close at $261.70. The stock soared more than 700% last year, the biggest gain among U.S. tech companies, due to enthusiasm surrounding AppLovin's artificial intelligence technology and the growth it was spurring in its ad business. Shares of AppLovin sank 20% on Thursday, their steepest drop on record, as another s ... Read full article.