Standards, policy & antitrust quiz
Who writes the standards, how ads.txt, sellers.json and schain fit together, what the courts decided about Google, and how privacy law differs by region. Ten advanced questions. advanced · 10 questions
Question 1 of 10Score 0
Which body audits and accredits measurement services such as viewability and IVT detection in the US?
All questions with answers
- Which body audits and accredits measurement services such as viewability and IVT detection in the US?
Answer: The Media Rating Council (MRC). The MRC sets measurement standards and grants MRC accreditation after audits. IAB Tech Lab writes technical specs like OpenRTB and ads.txt but does not audit vendors. - What is TAG's main role in the industry?
Answer: Running certification programmes such as Certified Against Fraud for companies in the supply chain. TAG, the Trustworthy Accountability Group, certifies companies that follow its anti-fraud, anti-piracy and anti-malware guidelines, notably TAG Certified Against Fraud. It certifies companies rather than writing bidding protocols. - What does an SSP's sellers.json file tell buyers?
Answer: Which sellers the SSP pays, and whether each is a publisher or an intermediary. sellers.json lists the SSP's seller accounts and whether each is the inventory owner or a middleman. Paired with ads.txt, it lets buyers trace who is really selling; buyer identity is what buyers.json was proposed for. - A bid request's SupplyChain object has two nodes and complete=1. What does that tell a buyer?
Answer: Every party that handled the sale is listed, and there were two hops from publisher to this bid request. The supplyChain object records each seller that touched the request; complete=1 claims no hop is missing. It is about path transparency, not proof of human traffic, which still needs fraud detection. - A publisher's ads.txt line reads: examplessp.com, 12345, RESELLER. What does it mean?
Answer: Account 12345 on examplessp.com is authorised to sell this inventory, but it is not the publisher's own direct account. In ads.txt, DIRECT means the publisher controls the account and RESELLER means an authorised intermediary does. Resellers are legitimate but add hops, so SPO-minded buyers often favour direct paths. - In April 2025, what did Judge Brinkema find in United States v. Google (ad tech)?
Answer: Google illegally monopolised the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets and unlawfully tied them, but the advertiser ad network claim failed. The United States v. Google ruling found monopolisation of publisher ad servers (DFP) and exchanges (AdX) and an unlawful tie between them. The advertiser-side market claim was rejected, so 'guilty on everything' is the tempting but wrong answer. - What did the remedies decision in the US Google ad tech case, issued in September 2026, do?
Answer: Declined to order an AdX divestiture and imposed behavioural remedies, such as interoperability with Prebid and rival ad servers, under a technical monitor. Judge Brinkema rejected the DOJ's structural remedies, including selling AdX, and chose conduct rules policed by a monitor. Many expected a break-up, but the court judged it too slow and disruptive; a final judgment and appeals can still follow. See antitrust in ad tech. - Why did the European Commission fine Google €2.95 billion in September 2025?
Answer: For favouring its own ad exchange, AdX, through its publisher ad server and ad-buying tools. The Commission found Google self-preferenced AdX in ad tech, echoing the US case. It was a competition (antitrust in ad tech) decision, separate from privacy enforcement under GDPR; Google said it would appeal. - In March 2024, what did the EU's top court (CJEU) rule about the IAB TCF consent string?
Answer: It can constitute personal data when it can be linked to a person, such as via an IP address. The CJEU held that a consent string can be personal data under GDPR, which puts obligations on those who create and handle it. It did not ban the IAB TCF; the framework was revised and continues. - Under India's Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, a 'child' who needs verifiable parental consent is anyone under what age?
Answer: 18. The India DPDP Act sets the threshold at 18 and bars tracking, behavioural monitoring and targeted ads aimed at children. 13 is the US COPPA threshold and 16 is GDPR's default, so importing either would be a costly mistake.