Ad Industry Faces New MFA Challenge From AI Slop Sites

Ad industry insiders have warned that generative AI would lead to an increase in made-for-advertising (MFA) sites, and research is now proving this to be the case, according to AdExchanger. A study by DecryptAds found over 2,100 AI-generated recipe sites that are monetizing via programmatic ad tech, with ads from major brands appearing on these sites.

The recipe sites are populated with low-effort content and have multiple overlapping ad placements, which is a common trait of MFA sites. DecryptAds found that these sites are monetized by SSPs that work with ad tech partners located in what they refer to as “risky geos”, which are associated with high degrees of cybercrime or have adversarial relationships with the US.

The use of AI-generated content on these sites raises major cybersecurity concerns, as US citizens can access these sites and have their data harvested by ad tech vendors, potentially being targeted with malvertising schemes. However, DecryptAds has not uncovered evidence of any crimes committed by these sites or their ad tech partners.

The ad inventory on these sites is of dubious value, as the sites are designed to game viewability and duplicate viral recipe trends or copy popular pages from other cooking sites. The sites also feature fabricated authors on their “about” pages, with AI-generated human avatars or stolen pictures of real chefs, which runs afoul of Google’s new policy on helpful content.

Google’s new policy states that fabricating creator profiles is a form of deception and makes a page untrustworthy to both users and automated quality systems. According to Zach Edwards, co-founder of DecryptAds, the advertising industry should take this policy as a sign that websites that don’t disclose their use of AI-generated authors risk being classified as “low-quality” and therefore unfit for monetization.

However, a source at an SSP disputed the premise that sites featuring AI-generated authors have no inherent value for advertisers or audiences, arguing that real people click on these links and engage with the content. The source also noted that Google’s guidance only applies to Google’s search business and should be treated separately from best practices suggested by Google Ads.

The DecryptAds report highlights the need for the ad tech industry to take action against MFA sites and ensure that the programmatic supply chain is free from shady site operators. With so many intermediaries in the supply chain, it’s easy for these operators to blend in, and SSPs must effectively vet publishers before onboarding them.