--- title: "Pixalate Week in Review: October 12 - 16, 2020" description: Pixalate reviews this week's news in the programmatic ad fraud space. Find the most critical ad tech and privacy news from 12-16 October 2021. image: https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/publishers.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/publishers.png) [Weekly Recaps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/weekly-recaps) | 2 min read # Pixalate Week in Review: October 12 - 16, 2020 Written by [Pixalate](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/author/pixalate) Oct 16, 2020 6:00:00 PM This week's review of ad fraud and quality in the digital advertising space. ### **1: Ad fraud still a thorn in online advertising's side** ### ![malware-data-fraud](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/malware-data-fraud.png?width=600&name=malware-data-fraud.png) "The fraud industrial complex knows exactly where to play. They know we like our smartphones, and they know we like to watch videos. So what's the No. 1 fraud platform? Smartphones," wrote Maarten Albarda, founder of Flock Associates in a [MediaPost](https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/356915/online-advertising-still-sucks-fall-2020-edition.html) op-ed. "And the No. 1 fraudulent medium? Videos!" The op-end continued: "And because we are all working from home, with our connected TVs on all day, the fraudsters have also discovered this lucrative platform. In 2019, Pixalate found almost one in four invalid traffic rates in programmatic over-the-top and CTV advertising." ### 2. Report: Feds may eye Google's Chrome for a breakup ![chrome](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/chrome.jpg?width=600&name=chrome.jpg) "Justice Department and state prosecutors investigating Google for alleged antitrust violations are considering whether to force the company to sell its dominant Chrome browser and parts of its lucrative advertising business,** **three people with knowledge of the discussions said Friday [Oct. 9]," reported [Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/10/feds-may-target-googles-chrome-browser-for-breakup-428468). ### 3. Facebook's MRC brand safety audit is underway ![facebook-lock](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/facebook-lock.png?width=600&name=facebook-lock.png) [Digiday](https://digiday.com/media/facebooks-mrc-brand-safety-audit-gets-underway-but-it-doesnt-yet-include-the-news-feed/) reported that "Facebook has agreed on the scope of its brand safety audit by the Media Rating Council, though the initial phase, which is currently getting underway, will not include the social network’s news feed." Digiday added: "Facebook first committed to the MRC brand safety audit in late June amid growing pressure from advertisers and campaign groups to take more effective action against the spread of hate speech and misinformation on its platform." ### 4. Google's sellers.json file grows to 1.2 million publishers ### ![publishers](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/publishers.png?width=600&name=publishers.png) "After a disappointing debut in June, Google [this week] released an updated version of its sellers.json file" to include 1.2 million publishers, reported [AdExchanger](https://www.adexchanger.com/publishers/google-grows-its-sellers-json-file-to-1-2-million-publishers/). "Even so, Google’s sellers.json file still has gaps," AdExchanger wrote. "A lot of publishers are listed as confidential or don’t have a business domain." ### 5. Facebook Audience Network to go 'bidding only' in 2021 ### ![bid-sign-bidding](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/bid-sign-bidding.jpg?width=600&name=bid-sign-bidding.jpg) In response to the pending iOS 14 and the IDFA change that will come with it, Facebook "announced that its Audience Network exclusively will use bidding to fill ads in iOS apps starting in the second quarter of 2021," reported [MediaPost](https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/356917/facebook-audience-network-moving-to-bidding-only-i.html).  ### 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 [← Pixalate Week in Review: October 5 - 9, 2020](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/programmatic-ad-fraud-news-october-9-2020) [** ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog) Next Story [Pixalate Week in Review: October 19 - 23, 2020 →](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/programmatic-ad-fraud-news-october-23-2020) ## 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-october-16-2020#) # 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. 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