--- title: "Pixalate Week in Review: March 30 - April 3, 2020" description: Pixalate reviews this week's news in the programmatic ad fraud space. Find the most critical ad tech and privacy news from 30 March - 3 April 2020. image: https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/up-and-down-thumbs.png --- [![pixalate-full-logo](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Pixalate_Logos/pixalate-full-logo.jpg?width=150&height=60&name=pixalate-full-logo.jpg "pixalate-full-logo")](https://www.pixalate.com) Search **Menu** ** ** ![](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/up-and-down-thumbs.png) [Weekly Recaps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/weekly-recaps) | 2 min read # Pixalate Week in Review: March 30 - April 3, 2020 Written by [Pixalate](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/author/pixalate) Apr 3, 2020 4:00:00 PM This week's review of ad fraud and quality in the digital advertising space. ### **1: Over 445k Android and iOS were delisted in Q4 2019: New Report** ![delisted-apps-ios-android](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/delisted-apps-ios-android.png?width=600&name=delisted-apps-ios-android.png) Pixalate has [released new research](https://www.pixalate.com/delisted-apps-q4-2019) into the hundreds of thousands of mobile apps that were delisted in Q4 2019 across the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. - Over **281k Android apps** and **164k iOS apps** were delisted in Q4’19 - 57% of delisted Android apps had at least one “**dangerous permission**” - Two different iOS developers had **over 1,400 apps removed**, respectively [![See The Research](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2364596/5121b125-3dcd-4625-a9e9-fd6bceb8dc6b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2364596/5121b125-3dcd-4625-a9e9-fd6bceb8dc6b) ### **2. Ad fraudsters 'leaping on coronavirus crisis'** ![scammers-stealing-money-fraudster](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/scammers-stealing-money-fraudster.png?width=600&name=scammers-stealing-money-fraudster.png) "With less competition in the auction, low quality ads — and even publishers’ own house ads — are now making their way to the most prized ad slots on homepages," wrote [Digiday](https://digiday.com/media/rats-out-of-the-sewers-ad-fraudsters-are-leaping-on-the-coronavirus-crisis/). "The fraudsters have quickly leaped into action." ### **3. Media usage soars but advertising dips** ![up-and-down-thumbs](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/up-and-down-thumbs.png?width=600&name=up-and-down-thumbs.png) Tim Armstrong, former CEO of AOL, predicts that COVID-19 "will devastate ad spending," according to [The Information](https://www.theinformation.com/articles/former-aol-ceo-armstrong-predicts-ad-slump-will-be-worse-than-in-2008). “For the first time in history, you’re probably going to have the highest point of media usage in the history of the United States and the lowest point of advertising in the U.S.,” Armstrong said to The Information in an interview. ### **4. Nearly half of media buyers are changing plans because of COVID-19** ### **![split-choice-arrow-decision](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/split-choice-arrow-decision.png?width=600&name=split-choice-arrow-decision.png)** According to [eMarketer](https://www.emarketer.com/content/the-ad-platform-how-media-buyers-are-changing-plans-because-of-covid-19), citing an Advertiser Perceptions survey, 49% of agencies have held back a campaign from launching until later in the year, 45% have stopped a campaign mid-flight, and 38% have paused all new ad efforts. [Learn more](https://www.emarketer.com/content/the-ad-platform-how-media-buyers-are-changing-plans-because-of-covid-19). ### **5. Rubicon Project and Telaria officially merge, set sights on CTV** ### ![mergers-acquisitions-ma-m-and-a](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/mergers-acquisitions-ma-m-and-a.png?width=600&name=mergers-acquisitions-ma-m-and-a.png) Rubicon Project and Telaria this week closed their merger, "officially forming the largest independent supply-side platform on the market," wrote [Adweek](https://www.adweek.com/programmatic/rubicon-project-and-telaria-merge-to-become-the-largest-independent-ssp/). "The combined company is pushing hard in CTV while there's still no single dominant player." ### Search Blog Search ### Follow Pixalate ### Subscribe to our blog *By entering your email address and clicking Subscribe, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use ](https://www.pixalate.com/terms)and [Privacy Policy.](https://www.pixalate.com/privacypolicy) Previous Story [← Over 445k Android and iOS apps were delisted in Q4 2019, including popular Samsung and LEGO apps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/delisted-apps-q4-2019) [** ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog) Next Story [Pixalate Week in Review: April 6 - April 10, 2020 →](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/programmatic-ad-fraud-news-april-10-2020) ## You May Also Like These Stories on Weekly Recaps [![](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/pixalate-week-review-june-13.png) ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/june-20-2025) [Weekly Recaps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/weekly-recaps) ### [Pixalate Week in Review: June 16 - June 20, 2025](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/june-20-2025) Jun 20, 2025 11:09:13 AM | 3 min read [![](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/pixalate-week-review-june-13.png) ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/june-13-2025) [Weekly Recaps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/weekly-recaps) ### [Pixalate Week in Review: June 9 - June 13, 2025](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/june-13-2025) Jun 13, 2025 11:39:50 AM | 3 min read [![](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/June-6-Pixalate-Recap.png) ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/june-6-2025) [Weekly Recaps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/weekly-recaps) ### [Pixalate Week in Review: June 2 - June 6, 2025](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/june-6-2025) Jun 6, 2025 1:00:13 PM | 2 min read ** ### Subscribe to our blog *By entering your email address and clicking Subscribe, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use ](https://www.pixalate.com/terms)and [Privacy Policy.](https://www.pixalate.com/privacypolicy) ![pixalate-logo-red-small](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2018NewTemplate/pixalate-logo-red-small.png?width=208&name=pixalate-logo-red-small.png "pixalate-logo-red-small") ** By entering your email address and clicking Subscribe, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use](https://www.pixalate.com/terms) and [Privacy Policy](https://www.pixalate.com/privacypolicy) Products [Analytics](https://www.pixalate.com/products/analytics) [Blocking](https://www.pixalate.com/products/blocking) [Media Rating Terminal](https://www.pixalate.com/products/mrt) [Publisher Trust Indexes](https://www.pixalate.com/rankings/?group=app&reportId=publisherTrustIndex) [Seller Trust Indexes](https://www.pixalate.com/rankings/?group=app&reportId=publisherTrustIndex) [IoT Device Rankings](https://www.pixalate.com/rankings/?group=app&reportId=iotDeviceReach) Resources [Blog](https://blog.pixalate.com/) [Press](https://www.pixalate.com/press) [Careers](https://www.pixalate.com/jobs) [Team](https://info.pixalate.com/pixalate-leadership-team) Contact Email [** sales@pixalate.com ](mailto:sales@pixalate.com) [** privacy@pixalate.com ](mailto:privacy@pixalate.com) US: [** +1 888 749 2528 ](tel:+1%20888%20749%202528) EU: [** +44 (0)800 011 2050 ](tel:+44%20(0)800%20011%202050) Slack: [Join ATSAPI Slack Channel ](https://atsapi-pixalate.slack.com/join/shared_invite/zt-10dtow5cj-OEtlNr5yzJkrZMQUqcEEow#/shared-invite/email) Offices Global Offices US 1775 Greensboro Station Place, Suite 425, McLean, VA 22102 UK 20 North Audley Street London, W1K 6WE, United Kingdom EU 10 Earlsfort Terrace Dublin 2, D02 T380, Ireland Singapore 10 Anson Road, #22-02 International Plaza, Singapore 079903 [![facebook](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/footer/icons/facebook.png) ](https://www.facebook.com/pixalate) [![x](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/footer/icons/twitter-x.png) ](https://twitter.com/pixalateinc) [![linkedin](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/footer/icons/linkedin.png) ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pixalate) ![wechat](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/footer/icons/wechat.png) [![slack](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/footer/icons/slack.png) ](https://atsapi-pixalate.slack.com/join/shared_invite/zt-10dtow5cj-OEtlNr5yzJkrZMQUqcEEow#/shared-invite/email) [Terms of Use](https://www.pixalate.com/terms) [Privacy Policy](https://www.pixalate.com/privacypolicy) [GDPR Compliance](https://www.pixalate.com/gdpr) Disclaimer Copyright © 2025 Pixalate [Back to top **](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/programmatic-ad-fraud-news-april-3-2020#) # Disclaimer Disclaimer: The content of this page reflects Pixalate’s opinions with respect to the factors that Pixalate believes can be useful to the digital media industry. Any proprietary data shared is grounded in Pixalate’s proprietary technology and analytics, which Pixalate is continuously evaluating and updating. Any references to outside sources should not be construed as endorsements. Pixalate’s opinions are just that - opinion, not facts or guarantees. Per the MRC, “'Fraud' is not intended to represent fraud as defined in various laws, statutes and ordinances or as conventionally used in U.S. Court or other legal proceedings, but rather a custom definition strictly for advertising measurement purposes. Also per the MRC, “‘Invalid Traffic’ is defined generally as traffic that does not meet certain ad serving quality or completeness criteria, or otherwise does not represent legitimate ad traffic that should be included in measurement counts. Among the reasons why ad traffic may be deemed invalid is it is a result of non-human traffic (spiders, bots, etc.), or activity designed to produce fraudulent traffic.” ** ** *By clicking Download and entering your email address, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use](https://www.pixalate.com/terms) and have read and acknowledge our [Privacy Policy](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/2024-08-20_Pixalate_Privacy_Policy.pdf). *Copyright © 2025 Pixalate** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * × ## Subscribe to the Pixalate Blog The first step in ad fraud prevention. Loading... By entering your email address and clicking Submit, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use](https://www.pixalate.com/terms) and [Privacy Policy](https://www.pixalate.com/privacypolicy). ![pixalate-logo-white](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_V2_08_26_2016/logo/Pixalate_Logo_WHITE.png) ##### Contact Us12 Loading... ![pixalate-logo-white](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_V2_08_26_2016/logo/Pixalate_Logo_WHITE.png) ##### Download GSTI Loading... Schedule your demo today Please complete all fields Loading... By entering your email address and clicking Submit, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use](https://www.pixalate.com/terms) and [Privacy Policy](https://www.pixalate.com/privacypolicy). * * * * *