Auto-refresh abuse

Ad refresh reloads an ad in the same slot after a set time, so a reader who stays on a long article can see more than one ad. Done transparently and moderately, it is an accepted practice. Auto-refresh abuse is when it goes too far: refreshing every few seconds, refreshing in background tabs or when the ad is off-screen, or refreshing without telling buyers.

The effect is a flood of impressions each with little chance of being noticed, and misleading reach and frequency numbers. Heavy, undisclosed refresh is common on made-for-advertising sites built to maximise ad calls per visit. Platforms set rules: many ad servers and exchanges require refreshed impressions to be flagged, and commonly expect a minimum interval, often 30 seconds, plus user activity or visibility before refreshing.

The MRC expects refreshed impressions to be disclosed and, where refreshes happen without a user having a real opportunity to see them, counted as invalid. Buyers can monitor impressions per page view, viewability per placement and the OpenRTB signals that indicate a refreshed slot, and exclude sellers that do not declare refresh.

Think of it like this

It is like a TV channel switching the ad on a billboard every five seconds in an empty car park at night and charging each advertiser for a full view.

An example

An audit finds a sports site in Australia refreshing sidebar units every 8 seconds, delivering 45 impressions per page view; after enforcing a 30-second, in-view-only rule, impressions fall by 70% and viewability doubles.