Introduction In the digital advertising ecosystem, Invalid Traffic (IVT) is a significant challenge that impacts campaign performance, transparency, and return on investment. IVT refers to any ad traffic that does not meet industry-defined quality standards, often resulting in wasted ad spend and misleading performance metrics. As a leader in media technology, Amagi is dedicated to ensuring a high standard of traffic quality and minimizing IVT. This article provides an overview of IVT, its sources, and how it is managed in programmatic advertising.

What is Invalid Traffic (IVT)? IVT is any non-human or fraudulent interaction with digital ads that skews impressions, clicks, or engagement metrics. The Media Rating Council (MRC) and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) classify IVT into two primary categories:

  1. General Invalid Traffic (GIVT) – Includes legitimate but non-human interactions such as search engine crawlers, bots, and accidental clicks.
  2. Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT) – Involves more advanced forms of fraud, including botnets, ad stacking, domain spoofing, and automated click fraud.

IVT disrupts advertising campaigns by generating artificial engagement, leading to inflated costs and reduced ad effectiveness.

Key Sources of IVT

  • Bots & Automated Scripts – Programs designed to mimic human interactions and inflate ad impressions.
  • Data Center Traffic – Non-user-driven activity originating from data centers rather than real human users.
  • Click Farms – Networks of low-quality or fraudulent engagements that generate fake clicks.
  • Ad Stacking – Multiple ads layered on top of each other, where only one is visible, but all register impressions.
  • Domain Spoofing – Fraudulent entities misrepresenting low-quality inventory as premium placements.

How Amagi Detects and Mitigates IVT To ensure high traffic quality, Amagi partners with HUMAN (formerly White Ops), a leading third-party measurement provider specializing in IVT detection. HUMAN employs advanced algorithms and industry expertise to:

  • Analyze incoming ad requests and delivered impressions in real-time.
  • Identify and block fraudulent traffic before it impacts campaigns.
  • Continuously monitor traffic sources to maintain transparency and trust.

IVT Compliance & Partner Responsibilities Amagi requires all platform partners to maintain an IVT rate below 5%, as measured by HUMAN. While Amagi covers the cost of IVT measurement, platforms must take proactive steps to ensure compliance. If a partner exceeds the acceptable IVT threshold, they are responsible for addressing and resolving the issue promptly. Failure to correct reported IVT problems may result in traffic being blocked.

Conclusion Invalid Traffic is a persistent issue in programmatic advertising, but through robust detection, strict compliance, and proactive mitigation, the industry can minimize its impact. At Amagi, we are committed to transparency and maintaining a fraud-free advertising ecosystem.