Phia Accused of 'Cookie Stuffing' Affiliate Scheme
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- Phia is accused of "cookie stuffing," a practice that allegedly earned it commissions and sales credit for purchases it did not actually generate, according to a Bloomberg investigation.
- Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni co-founded the shopping startup, with Phoebe identified as Bill Gates' daughter.
Why it matters: Cookie stuffing means affiliate commissions flowed to Phia on sales it didn't drive — directly shortchanging the retailer programs that paid out. For a consumer shopping tool whose pitch is trustworthy recommendations, the alleged scheme strikes at the core credibility the product sells to both users and merchants.
