--- title: "Pixalate Week in Review: July 23 - 27, 2018" description: Pixalate reviews this week's news in the programmatic ad fraud space. Find the most critical ad tech and privacy news from 23-27 July 2018. image: https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/video-ad-player.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/video-ad-player.png) [Weekly Recaps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/weekly-recaps) | 2 min read # Pixalate Week in Review: July 23 - 27, 2018 Written by [Tyler Loechner](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/author/tyler-loechner) Jul 27, 2018 4:10:16 PM This week's review of ad fraud and quality in the digital advertising space. ### **1. Pixalate releases Q2 2018 Programmatic Quality Report** ![Q2-2018-programmatic-quality-report-image](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/Q2-2018-programmatic-quality-report-image.png?width=600&name=Q2-2018-programmatic-quality-report-image.png) Pixalate this week released the [Q2 2018 Programmatic Quality Report: North America](https://info.pixalate.com/q2-2018-programmatic-traffic-quality-report). This comprehensive analysis of traffic quality details the state of invalid traffic (“IVT”) across desktop and mobile devices, including current IVT trends within mobile apps. The [report](https://info.pixalate.com/q2-2018-programmatic-traffic-quality-report) also contains an update on the state of viewability in the programmatic marketplace. ### **2. The current state of IVT in programmatic** **![blog-may-2018-usa-IVT-by-device-and-channel](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-may-2018-usa-IVT-by-device-and-channel.png?width=600&name=blog-may-2018-usa-IVT-by-device-and-channel.png)** Pixalate has [released](https://www.pixalate.com/state-of-invalid-traffic-ad-fraud-programmatic-q2-2018) updated invalid traffic (“IVT”) rates from the United States from May 2018 — and our analysis reveals that ad fraud remains a large problem for both web and in-app advertising. Mobile in-app is the riskiest, and "the problem is extrapolated because marketers have a general lack of visibility into in-app advertising," the blog reads. "So few companies are able to detect, monitor, and prevent ad fraud in-app, which creates an atmosphere ripe for exploitation." ### **3. Ads.txt experiment reveals how fraudsters favor video** ![video-ad-player](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/video-ad-player.png?width=600&name=video-ad-player.png) "Like any ordinary business, fraudsters flow to where the money is," wrote [eMarketer](https://content-na1.emarketer.com/ads-txt-illustrates-why-video-is-fraudsters-favorite-ad-format). "And because advertisers are putting more of their budgets into video, fraudsters are flocking to the platform, as demonstrated by a recent experiment by The Guardian." The article continued: "The Guardian and its research partners found that when ads.txt filters were applied to their ad buys, there were no discrepancies between what they bought and what ended up coming back to The Guardian. But when ads.txt filters were not applied, 1% of display ad spend and 72% of video ad spend went to unauthorized programmatic platforms." ### **4. 'Brand Safety Institute' launches, aims to clean up digital advertising ** ![bsi-brand-safety-institute](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/bsi-brand-safety-institute.png?width=600&name=bsi-brand-safety-institute.png) This week, the Brand Safety Institute (BSI) launched "with the mission of helping advertisers, agencies and publishers get smart about managing brand safety issues," wrote [AdExchanger](https://adexchanger.com/online-advertising/brand-safety-institute-aims-to-smarten-up-the-digital-ad-industry/). The article added: "BSI plans to accomplish its goal through a certification program designed to train and accredit ad industry execs on the finer points of brand safety, such as ad quality, how to vet partners, ad placement and content analysis and understanding ad fraud and malware." ### **5. IAB Tech Lab releases new OpenRTB 3.0 spec** ### **![iab](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/iab.jpg?width=600&name=iab.jpg)** "The revised OpenRTB 3.0 spec released Tuesday makes major changes to the programmatic standard to stamp out bad ads and fraud. The IAB Tech Lab’s new spec is now open for public comment for 60 days," reported [AdExchanger](https://adexchanger.com/ad-exchange-news/programmatic-reborn-iab-completely-overhauls-openrtb-spec/). "[B]ad actors exploited the [older] standard’s holes, leading to domain spoofing, location fraud, in-banner video and other issues," the article noted. *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 [← The state of invalid traffic (IVT) in programmatic: Q2 2018](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/state-of-invalid-traffic-ad-fraud-programmatic-q2-2018) [** ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog) Next Story [The state of viewability in programmatic: Q2 2018 →](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/state-of-viewability-programmatic-q2-2018) ## 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-july-27-2018#) # 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. 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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