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Security concerns with online advertising

Publishers are well aware that there is a lot of money to be made by showing ads on their website. However, the issue here is that when rushing to monetize their pages, there are some site owners who do not perform proper due diligence. Running ads that are relevant to your site and of interest to your visitors is just one small part of the process of putting ads on your pages. You also need to be sure that you are not potentially doing some real damage to your reputation and the people who visit your site by running dangerous and insecure ads. We are going to look at some of the problems you may face with online advertising, and then close this piece out with a bit of advice on how you can ensure that the ads you place and run are legitimate. Let’s start out with the potential problems:

Ads with a virus

It’s naive to assume that every advertiser is a reputable business because that is simply not the case. There are some out there who use online advertising as a mean to an malicious end. This includes, but is not limited to, delivering ads that contain and spread some sort of virus or malware. The ad is directly or indirectly used to steal credit card info and other personal details for nefarious purposes. Simply clicking on one of these ads can mean that your visitors get a whole lot more than they bargained for, and not in a good way.

Ads with questionable content

While these types of ads are not that common, they can sometimes slip through the cracks. These ads tend to serve links that lead to hate-filled sites or places where illegal activities are being promoted or performed. Having these types of ads on your pages can be especially damaging, as it appears as though you not only agree with the message, but that you also condone or support it. Running hate ads or display links to illegal sites will damage your website reputation in no time at all.

Ads promoting scams

This type of ad can be a little tougher to figure out, as it may appear as though the ad is pointing to a legitimate business opportunity. As a publisher, you need to be aware of what it is promoting and perform due diligence on the advertiser. There are countless scams and Ponzi schemes to be found all over the internet, with new ones added daily, and many of them look like legitimate businesses. If you are unsure about the legality of a business that you help promote, it is best to avoid running that ad on your site.

Ads with privacy issues

Some ads are out there for the sole purpose of collecting data, which can then be sold to the highest bidder. Personal info is the currency that these ads deal in, and said information is then quickly sold off without the express permission of the people who have had their data collected.

The Solution

The only way to know your advertisers and the products and service that they offer is to be in control and be in close contact with your advertisers. With many advertisers and ads, it can be a challenge. That is why you should get help by using your own ad server to manage your ads more efficiently and stay in communication with your advertisers.

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