FAIRFAX, Va., March 20 -- George Mason University issued the following news release:
Technological advancements and the dynamics of the platform economy make rooting out fraud more complicated than it may seem.
With print media circulation and broadcast television viewership in free fall, a lot is riding on the online advertising space being able to take up the slack. The good news is, digital ad spend is booming: The global total for 2025 is expected to surpass $678 billion, at an annual growth rate of nearly eight percent.
The bad news? A good chunk of that money is chasing a mirage.
Online ad fraud-where ad publishers falsely inflate engagement metrics (impressions, clicks, etc.) to boost revenues-is a growing problem thateats upward...