“Made for Advertising” MFA: How Pixalate Detects, Analyzes, and Blocks MFA Websites, CTV and Mobile Apps

This post explains Pixalate’s methodology for detecting MFA, shows examples of MFA CTV and mobile apps, and outlines how Pixalate’s solutions can help block MFA websites, CTV and mobile apps.

Pixalate recently announced the launch of  “Made for Advertising” (MFA) technology to detect and block MFA websites, CTV and mobile apps. Pixalate’s MFA solution rates websites, CTV and mobile apps with a high, medium, or low MFA risk; this new feature is available in Beta across the Pixalate product suite.  

How Does Pixalate Define Made For Advertising?

MFA websites and apps can feature intrusive advertising techniques like pop-up ads, auto-play videos, or ads restricting access to content, often resulting in a poor advertising-to-attention ratio. 

Examples of MFA (Made For Advertising) Websites and Apps

MFA Mobile App Example

MFA CTV App Example

MFA Website Example

Pixalate's MFA Methodology

Pixalate detects MFA in CTV and mobile apps by incorporating metrics beyond ad refresh and ad density to include the age of the app, invalid traffic rates, user ratings, and popularity rankings. Pixalate uses statistical techniques such as Univariate/Multivariate Descriptive and Gaussian curve analysis to assign high, medium, or low MFA risk to websites, CTV, and mobile apps. Pixalate’s MFA detection technology models historical open programmatic transaction data across all apps, pages and URLs.

MFA CTV App Methodology

• MFA Risk: Pixalate's assessment of the risk (High, Medium or Low) of the CTV app being deemed MFA
  • Ad Refresh Rate: Number of ad impressions observed per device, per hour
  • Age:  Age of the app on the App Store
  • IVT: IVT% of the app across regions
  • Popularity: Pixalate’s popularity score for the app 
  • Reviews: Number of user reviews

MFA Mobile App Methodology

• MFA Risk: Pixalate's assessment of the risk (High, Medium or Low) of the mobile app being deemed MFA
  • Ad Refresh Rate: Number of ad impressions observed per device, per hour
  • Age:  Age of the app on the App Store
  • IVT: IVT% of the app across regions
  • Popularity: Pixalate’s popularity score for the app 
  • Reviews: Number of user reviews

MFA Websites Methodology

• MFA Risk: Pixalate's assessment of the risk (High, Med or Low) of the website being deemed MFA 
  • Ad Density Rate: Number of ad placements observed per device, per minute 
  • Ad Refresh Rate: Number of ad impressions observed per device, per minute
  • Paid Traffic Rate: Volume of traffic sourced via paid (ad) sources
  • Social Traffic Rate: Volume of traffic sourced via social media

Pixalate’s Detection, Analytics, and Blocking Products

• MFA Blocking Technology: Distinct Data Feeds for MFA mobile apps, CTV apps, and websites
  • Segmented by medium- and high-risk
  • Available via API or FTP for high performance and low latency
• MFA Signals the Media Ratings Terminal: Pixalate's ad supply chain intelligence tool, the Media Ratings Terminal (MRT), now includes in-depth MFA insights

• MFA Reports in Analytics Dashboard: Pixalate’s post-bid analytics dashboard will provide clients insight into the impact of MFA websites and apps on their first-party traffic
• MFA insights via APIs: The Enrichment API within Pixalate’s self-service Ad Trust and Safety API suite now includes MFA insights associated with the websites, mobile and CTV apps. Insights include the overall MFA Risk rating and the details impacting MFA risk such as Ad Density, Ad Refresh Rate, App Age, Paid Traffic, etc.

To learn more about Pixalate's MFA detection and blocking technology, schedule a demo:

About Pixalate

Pixalate is a global market-leading ad fraud protection, privacy, and compliance analytics platform. Pixalate works 24/7 to guard your reputation and grow your media value by offering the only system of coordinated solutions across display, app, video, and CTV for the 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.

DISCLAIMER

The content of this press release, and Pixalate’s Made for Advertising Risk solutions (the "Services") reflect Pixalate’s opinions with respect to factors that Pixalate believes can be useful to the digital media industry. Any data shared in this press release and/or the Services is grounded in Pixalate’s proprietary technology and analytics, which Pixalate is continuously evaluating and updating. 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, website, or app, but, instead, to report findings and trends pertaining to programmatic advertising activity in the time period studied.