Thousands of Apps Secretly Run Ads That Users Can't See
Summary
Thousands of mobile applications are secretly running ads that cant be seen by users, defrauding marketers and slowing down smartphones, according to a new report by Forensiq, a firm that tracks fraud in online advertising. Forensiq noticed that some apps were calling up ads at such a high frequency that the intended audience couldn’t possibly be actual humans. Forensiq’s video shows these also running code that produces a steady stream of unseen advertisements from companies like Microsoft, Coca-Cola, and Mercedes Benz. “Why am I going to do ad monetization when I can have something pop up and say I’m not going to unlock your device unless you give me $200,” says Michael Bentley, Lookout’s head of research and response. Fraud is endemic in the online advertising world, and the victims—the brands paying for the ads—often lose track of where their ads end up once they are traded through several automated layers of middlemen.
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