--- title: "Pixalate Week in Review: August 13 - 17, 2018" description: Pixalate reviews this week's news in the programmatic ad fraud space. Find the most critical ad tech and privacy news from 13-17 August 2018. image: https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/malware-ivt-ad-fraud.jpg --- [![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/malware-ivt-ad-fraud.jpg) [Weekly Recaps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/weekly-recaps) | 2 min read # Pixalate Week in Review: August 13 - 17, 2018 Written by [Tyler Loechner](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/author/tyler-loechner) Aug 17, 2018 5:46:41 PM This week's review of ad fraud and quality in the digital advertising space. ### **1. How the most popular most app ad sizes are attacked by fraudsters** ![mobile-app-ad-sizes-takeaways](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/mobile-app-ad-sizes-takeaways.jpg?width=600&name=mobile-app-ad-sizes-takeaways.jpg) Pixalate's [latest research](https://www.pixalate.com/ad-fraud-ivt-mobile-app-ad-sizes) reveals which mobile in-app ad sizes have the highest ad fraud (IVT) rates across display and video advertising. The 300x250 video ad size has an invalid traffic (IVT) rate of 17.6% in-app on smartphones, while the 320x480 video ad size has an ad fraud rate of 17.2%. ### **2. Ad fraud (IVT) rates across popular iPhone and iPad App Store categories** **![blog-iOS-app-smartphone-display-q2-2018](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/blog-iOS-app-smartphone-display-q2-2018.jpg?width=600&name=blog-iOS-app-smartphone-display-q2-2018.jpg)** Pixalate [examines](https://www.pixalate.com/ad-fraud-ivt-ios-iphone-ipad-apple-q2-2018-benchmarks) invalid traffic ("IVT") rates across popular iOS app categories. The 'Social' app category has the highest display IVT rate on iPhones (10.1%) and iPads (12.6%). The 'Weather' (40.2%) and 'Music' (35%) have high video IVT rates, especially when compared to the display IVT rates in those categories. [Learn more](https://www.pixalate.com/ad-fraud-ivt-ios-iphone-ipad-apple-q2-2018-benchmarks). ### **3. Inside the world of fake YouTube views ** ![youtube](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/youtube.jpg?width=600&name=youtube.jpg) The [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/08/11/technology/youtube-fake-view-sellers.html) goes deep into the world of fake YouTube views, noting that "plays can be bought for pennies and delivered in bulk, inflating videos’ popularity and making the social media giant vulnerable to manipulation." The article adds: "While YouTube says fake views represent just a tiny fraction of the total, they still have a significant effect by misleading consumers and advertisers." ### **4. OTT video keeps growing as cord-cutting ** ![OTT-video-player](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/OTT-video-player.png?width=600&name=OTT-video-player.png) "We expect the number of US cord-cutters — adults who have ever cancelled a pay TV service and continue without it — to climb by 32.8% this year to 33.0 million," wrote [eMarketer](https://content-na1.emarketer.com/more-than-half-of-us-consumers-watch-subscription-ott-video-2018). "Meanwhile, the number of subscription OTT video service viewers will rise to 170.1 million, equating to 51.7% of the US population." ### **5. How hackers used a Chipotle ad to spread malware** ### **![malware-ivt-ad-fraud](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/malware-ivt-ad-fraud.jpg?width=600&name=malware-ivt-ad-fraud.jpg)** "[H]ackers used a Chipotle ad developed in HTML5 to carry out a malware attack on June 11, 2018 that lasted for more than 7.5 hours until the exchange blocked the creative," reported [MediaPost](https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/323446/hackers-use-chipotle-ad-to-spread-malware.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+search-marketing-daily+%28MediaPost+%7C+Search+Marketing+Daily%29). "One in every 200 programmatic impressions acted as a malicious redirect to attack those viewing the ads. An additional three in 200 were fraudulent in-banner video (IBV) impressions, where the publisher’s display inventory was being misrepresented to video advertisers." *Sign up for our blog to stay updated with new stats, trends, and analysis of digital ad fraud.* ### 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 [← How the most popular mobile app ad sizes are attacked by fraudsters](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/ad-fraud-ivt-mobile-app-ad-sizes) [** ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog) Next Story [‘Reference’ category has nearly 50% ad fraud (IVT) rate on smartphones →](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/ad-fraud-ivt-mobile-web-publisher-category) ## 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-week-in-review-august-17-2018#) # 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. 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