--- title: "Pixalate Week in Review: February 22 - 26, 2021" description: Pixalate reviews this week's news in the programmatic ad fraud space. Find the most critical ad tech and privacy news from 22-26 February 2021. image: https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/ott-video-measurement-television-ctv.png --- [![pixalate-full-logo](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Pixalate_Logos/pixalate-full-logo.jpg?width=150&height=60&name=pixalate-full-logo.jpg "pixalate-full-logo")](https://www.pixalate.com) Search **Menu** ** ** ![](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/ott-video-measurement-television-ctv.png) [Weekly Recaps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/weekly-recaps) | 2 min read # Pixalate Week in Review: February 22 - 26, 2021 Written by [Pixalate](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/author/pixalate) Feb 26, 2021 4:00:00 PM This week's review of ad fraud and quality in the digital advertising space. ## **1: There was a 9% rise in Roku CTV apps with app-ads.txt in 2020** ### ![roku-apps-ctv-ads-txt-2020](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/roku-apps-ctv-ads-txt-2020.png?width=600&name=roku-apps-ctv-ads-txt-2020.png) This Pixalate [blog](https://www.pixalate.com/ctv-roku-app-ads-txt-adoption-2020) details the growth of app-ads.txt adoption among Roku apps in 2020. There was a 9% increase in the number of Roku apps with app-ads.txt in 2020 (Q1 to Q4), and over 3,000 Roku apps now have app-ads.txt. Learn more in Pixalate's Connected TV App-Ads.txt Reports for [Roku Apps.](https://info.pixalate.com/ctv-app-ads-txt-trends-report-roku-q4-2020) ## 2: Amazon Fire TV apps with app-ads.txt rose 10% in 2020 ![amazon-fire-tv-apps-ctv-ads-txt-2020](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/amazon-fire-tv-apps-ctv-ads-txt-2020.png?width=600&name=amazon-fire-tv-apps-ctv-ads-txt-2020.png) This Pixalate [blog](https://www.pixalate.com/ctv-amazon-fire-tv-app-ads-txt-adoption-2020) details the growth of app-ads.txt adoption among Amazon Fire TV apps in 2020. There was a 10% increase in the number of Fire TV apps with app-ads.txt in 2020 (Q1 to Q4), with the biggest jump in adoption coming between Q2 and Q3. Learn more in Pixalate's Connected TV App-Ads.txt Reports for [Amazon Fire TV Apps](https://info.pixalate.com/ctv-app-ads-txt-trends-report-amazon-fire-tv-q4-2020). ## 3. Measurement a key challenge for CTV growth ### ![ott-video-measurement-television-ctv](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/ott-video-measurement-television-ctv.png?width=600&name=ott-video-measurement-television-ctv.png) In this [Beet.tv](https://www.beet.tv/2021/02/measurement-is-key-challenge-for-advanced-tv-advertising-merkles-andy-fisher.html) interview, Merkle's Andy Fisher, head of Merkury Advanced TV, said: "Marketers also are more concerned about ad fraud as more CTV advertising is bought through programmatic auctions, which aren’t always transparent outside of direct deals or private marketplaces (PMPs)." ## 4. Ad fraud among the 15 top digital ad challenges to watch for in 2021 ### ![ad-fraud-sign](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/ad-fraud-sign.jpg?width=600&name=ad-fraud-sign.jpg) [Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/02/22/15-digital-advertising-challenges-to-overcome-in-2021/?sh=6143420f26c8) rounded up 15 digital ad challenges to watch out for in 2021 — and ad fraud-related metrics take up two of the spots. "[Y]ou’ll see a lot of fraudulent traffic this year as the industry booms," said Michael Hubbard of Media Two Interactive. "[A]nd I think you’ll see a lot of marketers get hurt by having inexperienced agencies running their digital media buying." ## 5. Apple apologizes for falsely accusing developer of fraud ### ![apple-facebook-amazon](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/apple-facebook-amazon.png?width=600&name=apple-facebook-amazon.png) "A student developer has had his indigenous language app restored to the App Store, and Apple has apologized for removing it on mistaken grounds of fraud and dishonesty," reported [Apple Insider](https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/02/10/apple-apologizes-for-falsely-accusing-developer-of-fraud). 'Apple has previously banned developers from the App Store for fraudulent reviews, but this time it mistakenly removed an entirely legitimate title." ### Search Blog Search ### Follow Pixalate ### Subscribe to our blog *By entering your email address and clicking Subscribe, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use ](https://www.pixalate.com/terms)and [Privacy Policy.](https://www.pixalate.com/privacypolicy) Previous Story [← 10% rise in Amazon Fire TV apps with app-ads.txt in 2020](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/ctv-amazon-fire-tv-app-ads-txt-adoption-2020) [** ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog) Next Story [Top 10 Roku apps with app-ads.txt as of the end of 2020 →](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/top-10-roku-apps-app-ads-txt-q4-2020) ## You May Also Like These Stories on Weekly Recaps [![](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/pixalate-week-review-june-13.png) ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/june-20-2025) [Weekly Recaps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/weekly-recaps) ### [Pixalate Week in Review: June 16 - June 20, 2025](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/june-20-2025) Jun 20, 2025 11:09:13 AM | 3 min read [![](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/pixalate-week-review-june-13.png) ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/june-13-2025) [Weekly Recaps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/weekly-recaps) ### [Pixalate Week in Review: June 9 - June 13, 2025](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/june-13-2025) Jun 13, 2025 11:39:50 AM | 3 min read [![](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/June-6-Pixalate-Recap.png) ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/june-6-2025) [Weekly Recaps](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/weekly-recaps) ### [Pixalate Week in Review: June 2 - June 6, 2025](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/june-6-2025) Jun 6, 2025 1:00:13 PM | 2 min read ** ### Subscribe to our blog *By entering your email address and clicking Subscribe, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use ](https://www.pixalate.com/terms)and [Privacy Policy.](https://www.pixalate.com/privacypolicy) ![pixalate-logo-red-small](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2018NewTemplate/pixalate-logo-red-small.png?width=208&name=pixalate-logo-red-small.png "pixalate-logo-red-small") ** By entering your email address and clicking Subscribe, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use](https://www.pixalate.com/terms) and [Privacy Policy](https://www.pixalate.com/privacypolicy) Products [Analytics](https://www.pixalate.com/products/analytics) [Blocking](https://www.pixalate.com/products/blocking) [Media Rating Terminal](https://www.pixalate.com/products/mrt) [Publisher Trust Indexes](https://www.pixalate.com/rankings/?group=app&reportId=publisherTrustIndex) [Seller Trust Indexes](https://www.pixalate.com/rankings/?group=app&reportId=publisherTrustIndex) [IoT Device Rankings](https://www.pixalate.com/rankings/?group=app&reportId=iotDeviceReach) Resources [Blog](https://blog.pixalate.com/) [Press](https://www.pixalate.com/press) [Careers](https://www.pixalate.com/jobs) [Team](https://info.pixalate.com/pixalate-leadership-team) Contact Email [** sales@pixalate.com ](mailto:sales@pixalate.com) [** privacy@pixalate.com ](mailto:privacy@pixalate.com) US: [** +1 888 749 2528 ](tel:+1%20888%20749%202528) EU: [** +44 (0)800 011 2050 ](tel:+44%20(0)800%20011%202050) Slack: [Join ATSAPI Slack Channel ](https://atsapi-pixalate.slack.com/join/shared_invite/zt-10dtow5cj-OEtlNr5yzJkrZMQUqcEEow#/shared-invite/email) Offices Global Offices US 1775 Greensboro Station Place, Suite 425, McLean, VA 22102 UK 20 North Audley Street London, W1K 6WE, United Kingdom EU 10 Earlsfort Terrace Dublin 2, D02 T380, Ireland Singapore 10 Anson Road, #22-02 International Plaza, Singapore 079903 [![facebook](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/footer/icons/facebook.png) ](https://www.facebook.com/pixalate) [![x](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/footer/icons/twitter-x.png) ](https://twitter.com/pixalateinc) [![linkedin](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/footer/icons/linkedin.png) ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pixalate) ![wechat](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/footer/icons/wechat.png) [![slack](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/footer/icons/slack.png) ](https://atsapi-pixalate.slack.com/join/shared_invite/zt-10dtow5cj-OEtlNr5yzJkrZMQUqcEEow#/shared-invite/email) [Terms of Use](https://www.pixalate.com/terms) [Privacy Policy](https://www.pixalate.com/privacypolicy) [GDPR Compliance](https://www.pixalate.com/gdpr) Disclaimer Copyright © 2025 Pixalate [Back to top **](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/programmatic-ad-fraud-news-february-26-2021#) # Disclaimer Disclaimer: The content of this page reflects Pixalate’s opinions with respect to the factors that Pixalate believes can be useful to the digital media industry. Any proprietary 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 - opinion, not facts or guarantees. Per the MRC, “'Fraud' is not intended to represent fraud as defined in various laws, statutes and ordinances or as conventionally used in U.S. Court or other legal proceedings, but rather a custom definition strictly for advertising measurement purposes. Also per the MRC, “‘Invalid Traffic’ is defined generally as traffic that does not meet certain ad serving quality or completeness criteria, or otherwise does not represent legitimate ad traffic that should be included in measurement counts. 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