LONDON, June 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pixalate, the global market-leading ad fraud protection, privacy, and compliance analytics platform, has launched a new Supply Chain Object (SCO) audit and verification tool. The tool helps buyers prevent wasted ad spend and rectify problems that persist in complex and fragmented supply paths. Recent Pixalate research found that 17% of SCOs failed verification, and those SCOs had a likely 32% higher IVT rate.
Across every supply path, the tool enables buyers to detect, trace, and root out both the sources and causes of the following at scale:
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Pixalate classifies invalid SCO information using the following 16 validation & verification reason codes for every ad impression:
Validation Reason Codes
| Missing Version | Invalid Node ID Format |
| Missing Complete Flag | Incomplete Node Information |
| Missing Node ID |
Verification Reason Codes
| SCO not provided | Link in SCO missing in sellers.json |
| SCO declared incomplete | Unable to resolve publisher domain |
| Publisher missing in SCO | Ads.txt not resolved |
| Direct seller not authorized | App-ads.txt not resolved |
| Reseller not authorized | Sellers.json not resolved |
| Reseller listed as direct seller |
SCO Verification Analytics Reports: Post-bid reports enable clients to perform audits based on chain length and various reason codes including IVT and viewability percentage metrics, as measured by Pixalate. The reports are broken down by CTV, mobile and web.
Benefits
The actionable information from each report based on Pixalate’s data enables buyers to:
- Ensure compliance of the OpenRTB Supply Chain Object specifications by identifying and blocking traffic from unauthorized direct sellers and resellers.
- Identify and block publishers and sellers with invalid ads.txt/app-ads.txt/sellers.json.
- Identify sellers and publishers with incomplete SCOs to ensure their compliance.
- Assess chain lengths on ad traffic to optimize paths with low IVT and high viewability percentages.
- Identify redundant paths from publishers to eliminate potential bid duplication.
Pre-Bid Blocking on SCO Nodes: Pixalate also launched a data feed of high-risk SCO nodes associated with significantly elevated invalid traffic (IVT) rates, as measured by Pixalate. The block list includes four fields:
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Sample High Risk SCO Nodes Datafeed
| ad_system | seller_id | riskType | probability |
| exchange1.com | idA12 | appSpoofing | 0.9 |
| exchange1.com | FBAA12 | displayImpressionFraud | 0.9 |
| seller3.com | 23sads2adaf | doorwaySite | 0.9 |
| seller4.com | 23561 | maskedIP | 0.8 |
| exchange5.com | avs34 | displayImpressionFraud | 0.8 |
Using the list, clients can surgically block ad traffic containing specific nodes instead of blocking entire apps, publishers, users, or even sellers.
“Though the SCO provides a valuable transparency standard, ad industry stakeholders have struggled to audit billions of SCOs due to the complexity of verifying the business relationships between ads.txt and sellers.json at scale,” said Amin Bandeali, Pixalate’s CTO. “Our new validation and verification audit tools provide the depth and breadth of actionable information buyers need to “follow the money” and root out bad actors, ensuring the SCO and their bidding strategies are optimized.”
Watch this video to learn more about Pixalate’s SCO Validation and Verification Tools.
About Pixalate
Pixalate is the market-leading fraud protection, privacy, and compliance analytics platform for Connected TV (CTV) and Mobile Advertising. We work 24/7 to guard your reputation and grow your media value. Pixalate offers the only system of coordinated solutions across display, app, video, and CTV for better detection and elimination of ad fraud. Pixalate is an MRC-accredited service for the detection and filtration of sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT) across desktop and mobile web, mobile in-app, and CTV advertising. www.pixalate.com
Disclaimers
The content of this Press Release and referenced video link, Pixalate’s Supply Chain Object (SCO) Post-Bid Verification & Pre-Bid Blocking Technology, including the SCO Verification Analytics Reports, Reason Codes, and the Pre-Bid Blocking on SCO Nodes, reflect Pixalate’s opinions with respect to the factors that Pixalate believes can be useful to the digital media industry. Any 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, opinions, which means that they are neither facts nor guarantees. Pixalate is sharing this data not to impugn the standing or reputation of any entity, person or app, but, instead, to report findings and trends pertaining to SCO.
Media Contact
Elizabeth Farrell
efarrell@pixalate.com
