This document discusses internet bots and fraud in the digital advertising supply chain. It begins by defining an internet bot as a software application that runs automated tasks over the internet at a higher rate than humans. Money became a driving factor that led to problems with fraud as various participants in the digital ad ecosystem worked to profit from automated traffic. Several working groups were formed to address issues of transparency, accountability, anti-fraud techniques, and developing quality standards. The document recommends steps advertisers, buyers and publishers can take to ensure a more trustworthy supply chain such as knowing their supply sources, setting expectations through terms and conditions, and implementing point solutions as part of a comprehensive approach.

1. IAB Technology
Fraud and the
Trustworthy Supply Chain
Scott Cunningham

2. 1
What is a bot?
An Internet bot, also known as web robot, WWW robot or simply bot, is a
software application that runs automated tasks over the Internet.
Typically, bots perform tasks that are both simple and structurally
repetitive, at a much higher rate than would be possible for a human
alone.
- Wikipedia

5. 4
How did this become a problem?
Money

6. PUBLISHERS EXCHANGES BUYERS AGENCIES MARKETERS

7. 6
What are we doing about it?

8. The Trust Stack
Guideline Topic Area
Business
Transparency
(Steering)
Accountability Mechanism
Supporting Efforts
7
Anti-Fraud
(Steering)
Anti-Piracy
Compliance / QAG
Anti- Malware
Legal Education

9. Trustworthy Supply Chain: Fraud
• Anti-Fraud Principles released. 9-15-2014. Addressing business and
8
technical principles.
• Three workgroups covering safety in the supply chain.
1. Anti-Fraud Work Group. Technical work group looking at catching
bots in real time. Proposed taxonomy released 9-15 distinguishing
good intended machine traffic versus fraud.
2. Anti-Malware Work Group. Technical workgroup started in August
2014. Mission to identify sources of malware.
3. Business Transparency Work Group. Agencies, Platforms and
Publishers discussing money flow and business practices for
operations guidelines.

10. Trustworthy Supply Chain:
Tactics and Certification
• Education Work Group. Educating the industry on tactics and best
9
practices identified in other work groups and vendors.
• Blocklists.
• Quality Assurance Guidelines (QAG)
• 29 companies certified, 29 pending.
• Guidelines represent brand safety and transparency currently.
QAG + new Work Group Guidelines + Buyers = Joint (IAB, 4A’s, ANA)
Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG)

11. 10
What can you do about it?

12. Advertisers, Buyers, Publishers
• A & B: Know the supply
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sources and vendors.
Domains, content, audience.
Are they certified?
• A & B: Scale doesn’t equal
quality. Set expectations on
controls through T&C’s.
• A & B: If it is cheap and too
good to be true…it probably
is.
• P: Sales, Marketing, Ops
and Analytics…talk.
• P: Audience Extension is the
same as a trade desk.
• A, B, and P: Point solutions
are good. It’s one tool in
your toolbox is better.

13. IAB Technology
http://www.iab.net/trustworthy_supply_chain
scott@iab.net
Scott Cunningham