--- title: "Pixalate Week in Review: December 4 - 8, 2017" description: Pixalate reviews this week's news in the programmatic ad fraud space. Find the most critical ad tech and privacy news from 4-8 December 2017. image: https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/rising-price-money-trendline.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/rising-price-money-trendline.png) [Weekly Recaps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/weekly-recaps) | 3 min read # Pixalate Week in Review: December 4 - 8, 2017 Written by [Tyler Loechner](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/author/tyler-loechner) Dec 8, 2017 1:01:10 PM This week's review of ad fraud and quality in the digital advertising space. ### **1. Ads.txt adoption causing online ad prices to rise** **![rising-price-money-trendline.png](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/rising-price-money-trendline.png?width=640&name=rising-price-money-trendline.png)**  "Attempts to combat counterfeit, or 'spoofed,' online advertising space are showing signs of success, according to online ad giant Google," reported the [Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/articles/online-ad-prices-rise-as-industry-combats-counterfeit-inventory-google-says-1512068974). The article adds: "The average price of ad space purchased through Google’s ad-buying systems has increased over the past three weeks, the company said, which it attributes to its adoption of the 'Ads.txt' industry initiative earlier this month." [See the full list of sites with ads.txt](https://info.pixalate.com/publishers-with-ads-dot-txt) implemented here. ### **2. Is 'Ads.cert' the IAB's next big move for quality and transparency?** **![iab.jpg](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/iab.jpg?width=640&name=iab.jpg)** "Both the adoption of Ads.txt and commercialization of blockchain solutions have the IAB optimistic about the prospects for Ads.cert, a follow-up to Ads.txt that uses cryptographic security measures to authenticate inventory," reported [AdExchanger](https://adexchanger.com/online-advertising/will-ads-cert-iabs-next-big-inventory-clean-play/). The article explains the important distinction between authentication and authorization. "While Ads.txt helps authorize inventory sources, it doesn’t solve the authentication problem," the article reads. That's what Ads.cert will hope to achieve. "There’s still a good deal of time and effort before Ads.cert is a viable product, however," noted AdExchanger. "Later this month, Ads.cert will enter its second phase of public comment and review, and next year the group hopefully will begin coding and validating the technology," the article reads, citing Neal Richter, CTO of Rakuten Marketing and co-chair of the IAB’s openRTB working group. ### **3. AppNexus highlights 'fake news' and 'viral content' as ad fraud red flags** ![fake-news-typewriter.png](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/fake-news-typewriter.png?width=640&name=fake-news-typewriter.png) [MediaPost](https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/311252/appnexus-classifies-fake-news-viral-content-a.html) has reported that AppNexus has classified "fake news" and "viral content" as vectors for ad fraud in a new report. "The ... conclusion of the report is that so-called 'viral content' — long the Holy Grail sought by most big consumer marketers and their ad agencies in recent years — is now seen as a leading signal and potential vector for fraud," wrote MediaPost.    ### **4. How should media buyers approach whitelists?** ![whitelist.png](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/whitelist.png?width=640&name=whitelist.png) In an op-ed in ExchangeWire, Andy Evans, CMO of [ExchangeWire](https://www.exchangewire.com/blog/2017/12/05/media-buyers-resist-whitelist/), made the case against exclusively using whitelists for buying online ads. "Advertisers may feel more assured buying inventory against a whitelist because they see those websites as brand-safe, viewable, and free from ad fraud; but there are many other ways to achieve the same level of certainty," the article noted. "From the AOP’s Ad Quality Charter launched this month, and the IAB’s [Gold Standard](https://www.iabuk.net/about/press/archive/iab-uk-launches-iab-gold-standard-to-clean-up-online-advertising), to the[ TAG certifications](https://www.tagtoday.net/), and the [Pixalate Global Seller Trust Index](https://www.pixalate.com/sellertrustindex/global/#!global), there is now a wide spectrum of industry standards and accountability programmes, as well as tools and techniques that can be used to fight ad fraud, maintain brand safety, and ensure viewability," the article added. ### **5. MRC releases digital audience standard** **![standards-compliance-measurement.png](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/standards-compliance-measurement.png?width=640&name=standards-compliance-measurement.png)** "The Media Rating Council (MRC), which has effectively been the standard bearer for the 'viewability' of digital ads for the past couple of years, on Thursday morning released its first-ever standard for digital audience measurement," reported [MediaPost](https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/311263/mrc-releases-digital-audience-standard-incorporat.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=106481&hashid=qzv-Ex2ICwNjh7rHTgGF9_Q7jQw). The article notes that the new standard is built on top of the MRC's existing viewability and Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT) measurement standards. "Importantly, the standards introduce the concept of '[duration weighting](http://mediaratingcouncil.org/MRC%20Digital%20Audience-Based%20Public%20Comment%20Draft.pdf)' viewability of digital ads — laying the groundwork for the MRC’s broader effort to develop a cross-media measurement standard, which is also under development," MediaPost wore. [See all components of the new standard here](https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/311263/mrc-releases-digital-audience-standard-incorporat.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=106481&hashid=qzv-Ex2ICwNjh7rHTgGF9_Q7jQw).  *Sign up for our blog to stay updated with new stats, trends, and analysis on 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 [← Roku has 70% of the OTT programmatic advertising market share, beating Amazon, Apple, and Google](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/programmatic-tv-connected-ott-united-states-roku-devices-market-share) [** ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog) Next Story [Pixalate Week in Review: December 11 - 15, 2017 →](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/programmatic-ad-fraud-news-week-in-review-december-15-2017) ## 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-december-8-2017#) # 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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