Google, Facebook, Twitter join Ads Integrity Alliance, look to combat malicious ads

Google, Facebook, Twitter, and AOL have all signed on as charter members of the Ads Integrity Alliance — an industry partnership designed to stamp out malicious web advertisements. Created by StopBadware, a not for profit anti-malware organization, the Alliance aims to mitigate “bad ads” by developing best practices and policy recommendations for websites, service providers, and software developers. The forum will also facilitate the sharing of information and insights among industry actors, policymakers, and law enforcement officials, in the hopes of enhancing trust in the web advertising market. Specifically, the Alliance will target ads that deliver malware, lure users into scams, or market counterfeit products.

“The web puts the world’s information at your fingertips and has given everyone a platform to speak, listen, engage and unite,” Eric Davis, Google’s Global Public Policy Manager, wrote in a blog post. “The growth that businesses generate from online advertising has enabled an enormous part of this platform. We think the web is worth fighting for, which is why we strongly support the Ads Integrity Alliance’s efforts to tackle bad actors who seek to damage it.”