--- title: "Pixalate Week in Review: October 5 - 9, 2020" description: Pixalate reviews this week's news in the programmatic ad fraud space. Find the most critical ad tech and privacy news from 5-9 October 2020. image: https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/fade.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/fade.png) [Weekly Recaps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/weekly-recaps) | 2 min read # Pixalate Week in Review: October 5 - 9, 2020 Written by [Pixalate](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/author/pixalate) Oct 10, 2020 9:00:00 AM This week's review of ad fraud and quality in the digital advertising space. ### **1: **'SilentFade' steals millions from Facebook ad accounts ### ![fade](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/fade.png?width=600&name=fade.png) "One group discovered by Facebook’s in-house researchers took such a sophisticated approach to bilking Facebook users that it walked away with $4 million in an elaborate ad fraud scheme that went undetected by its victims," reported [CSO Online](https://www.csoonline.com/article/3585129/how-silentfade-group-steals-millions-from-facebook-ad-spend-accounts.html).  ### 2. Digital ad rebound has Wall Street bullish ![wall-street](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/wall-street.png?width=600&name=wall-street.png) "Wall Street analysts have turned extra bullish on digital media -- especially social and connected TV (CTV) and streaming services -- according to reports from equity research firms assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic," reported [MediaPost](https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/356692/wall-street-bullish-on-ad-rebound-especially-digi.html). "The report characterizes the ad industry’s 'faster-than-expected' bounce-back as one of the COVID-19 'surprises' it has observed to date."  ### 3. What will ad tech look like post-cookie? ![cookie-crumble](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/cookie-crumble.png?width=600&name=cookie-crumble.png) In this piece, [Adweek](https://www.adweek.com/programmatic/how-ad-tech-might-work-in-a-post-cookie-world/) again takes a look at Google's plans to withdraw cookie support from Chrome — saying it's "still ad tech's biggest story." This article reviews what the ad tech world may look like when the change takes place in early 2022— including all of the current and past iterations of proposals from Google and industry stakeholders alike.  ### 4. US adults spend 3.5 hours per day using mobile apps ### ![iphone](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/iphone.png?width=600&name=iphone.png) Per [eMarketer](https://content-na1.emarketer.com/us-adults-will-spend-over-three-hours-per-day-on-mobile-apps-2020), "US adults will spend an average of 4 hours, 1 minute (4:01) on mobile internet per day in 2020, with 3:35 of that time spent on mobile apps." That's an increase of 25 minutes per day compared to 2019, "with the pandemic as the main driver for this increase," per eMarketer. ### 5. A critical look at ad tech — and ad fraud's role ### ![search-discovery-examine-magnifying](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/search-discovery-examine-magnifying.png?width=600&name=search-discovery-examine-magnifying.png) [WIRED](https://www.wired.com/story/ad-tech-could-be-the-next-internet-bubble/) takes a critical look at the ad tech world in this piece examining the challenges digital advertisers face, including an "astonishing level of digital ad fraud, including 'click farms' that serve no purpose other than for bots or paid humans to constantly refresh and click ads, and 'domain spoofing.'” ### 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: September 28 - October 2, 2020](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/programmatic-ad-fraud-news-october-2-2020) [** ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog) Next Story [Pixalate Week in Review: October 12 - 16, 2020 →](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/programmatic-ad-fraud-news-october-16-2020) ## 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-9-2020#) # 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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