This document discusses the problem of low quality and fraudulent ads in the digital advertising industry. It notes that too many intermediaries between advertisers and publishers allow bad actors to distribute malware, cyber attacks, and offensive content through ads. Data shows that even top supply side platforms (SSPs) and demand side platforms (DSPs) pass bad ads. Publishers are at risk of losing audiences who encounter these ads and may face penalties. The document calls for industry participants like publishers, SSPs and DSPs to take the problem seriously, hold partners accountable, use ad quality technology, and make fraud more difficult in order to address the issue.

1. CAN THERE BE TRANSPARENCY IN AD-QUALITY?
November 15, 2018

2. My intention is to inform and not offend.
This presentation is discussing a very real problem that we have in our industry. There
are examples of ad content and comments that are graphic and include nudity.
If this is offensive to you, it is suggested that you grab some coffee and catch the next
session.
WARNING DISCLAIMER

3. WE’VE GOT A PROBLEM

4. AND IT’S A DIFFICULT PROBLEM TO SOLVE

5. Source: © DEVCON DETECT INC. 2018

6. Source: © DEVCON DETECT INC. 2018

7. Source: © DEVCON DETECT INC. 2018

8. W W W .D E V C O N D E T E C T . C O M

10. CPM distribution shows
strength + weakness of floors
Setting floors at $0.50 would block 75% of the bad ads, while also blocking 50% of the good ones
CONFIANT

11. Attack distribution shows no
strong pattern
Friday’s were not discernably worse for new attacks
Big spikes equally likely for Sundays, Mondays & Tuesday
CONFIANT

12. Industry’s first ever ad quality
benchmark
Confiant analyzed 60 billion open marketplace impressions from Q2 2018
Misrepresented = fraudulent IBV, Malicious = forceful redirects, Low Quality = Auto-Audio & the like

13. Top SSPs perform at or 4x
worse than market
12 of the top 20 SSPs analyzed - 8 were Tier 1, 4 were Tier 2
CONFIANT

14. All Top 5 DSPs had issues,
though different make up
The Top 5 DSPS had varied issue composition
CONFIANT

15. 1. There is too much ad-tec in between
the advertiser & publisher
2. Too much opportunity for bad actors
3. SSPs & DSPs are both passing these
bad ads to publishers
THIS IS AN INDUSTRY PROBLEM

16. “Quit with the forced pop up commercials or this app will be deleted”
“There is a nuisance add that pops up and “close” is actually a action call out to the
bogus product ...made me delete your app”
Surprise! Not a smiley face, your app sucks. Tried to read about deadly shooting and
keep getting redirected to click bait-distasteful. Deleting your app.
I hate getting spammed when I open your app. It happens constantly. I don’t believe I
have won anything from Amazon. Do you need to setup better security?
PUBLISHERS ARE LOSING AUDIENCE BECAUSE OF BAD ADS!
*Actual quotes from Scripps website visitors

17. 1.5B Monthly Impressions
X
.45% Bad Ads
= 6,750,000 Bad Ads Each Month
LOOK AT THE MATH FOR SCRIPPS

18. Zirconium –
• Set up 28 fraudulent agencies
• Working with major DSPs
• Distributing malware, cyber
attacks, phishing,
• All level or exploits
• Praying on our audiences
How Does This Happen?
THE BAD GUYS ARE PRO’S

19. EXPLOITS LOOK LEGIT

20. AND WE’RE LOSING AUDIENCE BECAUSE OF BAD ADS!
“Every time I look at articles
from abc15.com my
experience is ruined
because an add covers the
screen and can’t leave the
screen unless I delete the
page and come back. Really
bad experience, I’m IPhone
8 user. It deters me from
coming here again and
looking at news. Just FYI.
Thank you!”

21. I tried hitting the close
button, and reporting it as
inappropriate, but it kept—for
lack of a better phrase—
popping back up. In case
you’re having trouble
identifying where, it’s the
middle box—and BTW, I did
NOT add the red circle.
THEY CAN GET QUITE OFFENSIVE!

22. EVEN MORE OFFENSIVE
“Why do I have to see this
type of ad on you’re app?
This is a problem.”

23. “I don’t think this ad is
appropriate”
AND MORE OFFENSIVE

24. AND THIS IS A DOUBLE WHAMMY!
Forced Redirect Plus
Offensive Content

25. SOON PUBLISHERS MAY BE PENALIZED?
”Websites will have a 30-day grace period
to get rid of the abusive advertisements,
but a failure to comply will see all ads
disabled, potentially cutting off the revenue
supply for websites in question.”
”To punish the publisher is unfair, it’s not
within their ability to simply remove these
ads. We fight these all day every day for
publishers & networks,….these are highly
sophisticated attacks being deployed by
bad actors, not just bad quality ads.
Publishers are not responsible for these
ads entering the ecosystem” ** Maggie Louis – Devon Detect

26. • Take this seriously
• We’re losing audience
• Will display advertising be deemed unsafe by brands?
• We’ve all got too much to lose
WHAT CAN WE DO?

27. 1. Hold partners accountable
2. Everyone utilize an ad-quality tech partner – Pubs, SSPs, DSPs
3. Make it more difficult to commit ad-fraud
4. Be vigilant!
WHAT CAN WE DO?

28. THANK YOU!
tom.sly@scripps.com
@tsly