June 25, 2025
As programmatic CTV continues to grow, ensuring ad safety and quality remains a critical challenge. Unlike linear TV, where ads undergo rigorous pre-screening, programmatic CTV delivers ads dynamically in real time, increasing the risks of fraud, brand safety concerns, and poor user experience. To address these issues, the industry must implement scalable ad quality controls, leverage AI-driven contextual targeting, and establish standardized guidelines, says Russhabh R Thakkar, Founder and CEO, Frodoh. According to him, collaboration between brands, publishers, and regulators is essential to balancing monetization with viewer experience while ensuring transparency and compliance with evolving industry standards.
What are the key challenges in ensuring ad safety and quality in programmatic CTV compared to linear TV, and what risks do advertisers face without proper safeguards?
In linear TV, ads undergo strict pre-screening before airing, ensuring compliance with quality and safety standards. However, programmatic CTV presents unique challenges. Since ads are served dynamically in real time, there is limited control over their appropriateness. This increases the risk of ad fraud and brand safety concerns, where ads may appear on low-quality or inappropriate content without robust verification measures. Additionally, poor frequency capping can lead to ad fatigue, with viewers repeatedly seeing the same ad, diminishing engagement. Intrusive ad formats and latency issues can further disrupt content flow, leading to a frustrating viewer experience and higher churn rates. Without proper safeguards, advertisers risk brand damage, wasted ad spend on fraudulent impressions, and reduced consumer trust.
How can the industry implement scalable ad quality controls in programmatic CTV to prevent intrusive or disruptive ad experiences for viewers? Are there any best practices or emerging technologies leading the way?
To enhance ad safety and user experience, the industry can adopt several scalable ad quality controls in programmatic CTV. AI and machine learning for contextual targeting can help prevent ads from appearing in unsafe environments by analyzing content in real time. Programmatic direct and private marketplaces (PMPs) offer controlled inventory, reducing fraud risks and ensuring brand safety. Standardized frequency capping and ad placement guidelines can prevent ad fatigue by limiting the repetition of ads for viewers. Third-party verification and measurement tools, such as DoubleVerify, IAS, and MOAT, play a crucial role in tracking ad visibility, placement, and compliance with brand safety standards. Additionally, server-side ad insertion (SSAI) can minimize buffering issues, ensuring a seamless viewing experience. Emerging technologies like blockchain-based verification and AI-driven sentiment analysis are further improving transparency and control, making programmatic CTV advertising more reliable and user-friendly.
With the rapid growth of programmatic CTV, how should brands and publishers collaborate to balance monetization goals with viewer experience and ad integrity? What role does regulation or industry-wide standards play in this shift?
Brands and publishers must collaborate to balance monetization goals with viewer experience and ad integrity. Developing industry-wide standards is essential to establish common guidelines for ad frequency, duration, and placement, ensuring a non-intrusive viewer experience. Leveraging first-party data with a privacy-first approach allows advertisers to use consent-driven audience insights for delivering relevant ads while maintaining trust. Regulatory compliance, such as adhering to India’s DPDP Act, is crucial in protecting user data and fostering transparency. Additionally, dynamic ad insertion with context awareness ensures that ads align with content, demographics, and timing for a more seamless experience. To achieve this balance, industry bodies, regulatory agencies, and tech providers must work together to create a standardized and transparent framework that supports both revenue generation and responsible advertising.