FIGHTING

In pursuit of solutions to the issues of malware, invalid traffic and online piracy.

$8.2 billion*

*The amount lost annually to online corruption

IAB & EY US Benchmarking Study, November 2015

What is digital ad fraud?

malwareFraudsters hack consumers’ computers to impersonate human traffic and generate fraudulent profits.

“Malvertising” accounted for $1.1 billion in lost revenue and costs in 20151.

Combatting malware is one of the four pillars of TAG, which established an Anti-Malware Working Group to create a more secure, trusted ecosystem for advertisers and consumers.

1Digital Ad Industry Will Gain $8.2 Billion By Eliminating Fraud And Flaws In Internet Supply Chain, IAB & EY Study Shows, IAB, Dec. 1, 2015

invalid trafficIncludes botnets, malware, and zombie bots that impersonate users and generate false impressions.

Accounted for $4.6 billion in digital ad fraud in 20152.

In fall 2015, the MRC released its Invalid Traffic Detection and Filtration Guidelines Addendum that requires every accredited digital measurement system to filter fraudulent traffic before reporting metrics to the marketplace.

2 IAB & EY US Benchmarking Study, November 2015

What is digital ad fraud?

online piracyStolen content hurts content creators, advertisers and legitimate publishers because it drives revenue to deceptive sites.

Accounted for $2.4 billion in lost revenue in 20153.

As part of TAG’s Brand Integrity Program Against Piracy, approved third-party validators—including AAM—certify ad tech companies as Digital Advertising Assurance Providers if they meet criteria to help other advertising companies limit interactions with pirated sites.

3 IAB & EY US Benchmarking Study, November 2015

What is digital ad fraud?

With billions of dollars and brand reputations at stake, everyone in the media ecosystem needs to take responsibility and contribute to digital ad fraud solutions.

What can you do to stop digital ad fraud?

If you are an ADVERTISER:

Work with your agency to establish clear goals and objectives for each campaign.

Insist that your partners and vendors only use third-party technology that has been independently audited to industry guidelines.

Inform agencies and vendors upfront that you will not pay for non-human traffic.

Ask to receive a post-campaign reconciliation for every engagement.

Become involved with TAG to promote working with verified, registered media partners.

If you are an AD AGENCY:

Ensure complete, detailed insertion orders that include placement details, concise billing language, delivery requirements and targeting purchased.

Avoid websites and networks that rely on buying traffic from third-party sources.

Ask publishers whether they are audited or work with certified companies.

Maintain a master reconciliation system to track campaign dates, invoices and revisions.

Include language in RFPs and insertion orders that requires publishers to disclose sourced traffic.

If you are an AD TECH VENDOR:

Learn about the options for ad tech verification and then get certified to industry guidelines.

Register with the Trustworthy Accountability Group to show your commitment as a quality company in the digital advertising supply chain.

Learn about training options from TAG and AAM, including new compliance officer training.

Provide transparent reporting at the site level for your media partners.

If you are a PUBLISHER:

Understand implications of invalid traffic on your site and work with a third party to audit those metrics.

Work with vendors that are certified to industry guidelines.

Be more transparent about sourced traffic, monitor the traffic and eliminate sources with high bot percentages.

Analyze your website traffic and share that information with your media buyer partners.

Work with your buyers to understand what they want out of their campaign and how you can help provide it.

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