Bloomberg is reporting new allegations about Phia, the shopping startup co-founded by Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, saying the founders pushed for and knew about the company’s use of “cookie stuffing” for months, according to Techmeme’s summary of Bloomberg and TechCrunch’s write-up of the report. The alleged practice sits at the center of Phia’s affiliate-revenue model. TechCrunch describes cookie stuffing as taking credit and commission for affiliate purchases that a platform did not help generate. The practice is controversial because it can divert referral revenue from other affiliate marketers, and TechCrunch notes that affiliate marketplace contracts often ban it as unfair. The new Bloomberg reporting, as summarized by TechCrunch, says Gates and Kianni knew Phia was cookie stuffing as far back as December. Bloomberg’s account is based on leaked Slack messages and sources familiar with the matter, according to TechCrunch. Techmeme’s summary says Bloomberg reported that the two co-founders pushed for and were aware for seven months of using cookie stuffing to claim affiliate commissions. That account is materially different from Phia’s earlier public explanation. TechCrunch reports that when Bloomberg first investigated Phia’s cookie stuffing earlier this year, a Phia spokesperson told Bloomberg the company became aware of the issue only when Bloomberg contacted it. TechCrunch also says a Phia spokesperson in early July referred to the cookie stuffing as a bug. Bloomberg now reports, according to TechCrunch, that the disputed behavior was not merely an accidental bug but a purposefully built feature that could be switched on and off. TechCrunch says the leaked Slack messages showed Gates and Kianni discussing cookie-stuffing practices with other executives and engineers. Bloomberg’s latest reporting also found that cookie stuffing made up a sizable portion of Phia’s sales and that daily revenue fell substantially after the practice stopped, TechCrunch reports. The outlet said Bloomberg identified affected retailers including Nike and Nordstrom. The provided summaries do not include exact revenue figures or the full list of retailers. Phia’s response remains limited in the provided material. TechCrunch reports that a Phia spokesperson told Bloomberg the company disputed some of the publication’s claims but said Phia would “learn from this.” TechCrunch said Phia did not immediately respond to its own request for comment. The allegations land against a broader run of scrutiny for Phia. TechCrunch says the startup launched last April with a pitch resembling a Google Flights-style shopping tool that helps users find the best prices across retailers. TechCrunch also cites prior Puck reporting that Phia had lost almost half of its full-time employees since the beginning of the year, that several brands were unaware they were listed on the app, and that some investors were uneasy with how aggressively the company leaned into affiliate marketing. Who benefits: Affiliate marketers and retailers benefit from clearer scrutiny of whether shopping platforms are properly earning commissions. Competitors with cleaner attribution practices may also benefit if brands and marketplaces tighten enforcement. Who's exposed: Phia is exposed to reputational and partner risk while the allegations remain unresolved. Investors and affiliates tied to similar shopping or browser-extension models may face more questions about how commissions are attributed.