Google is auditing more YouTube ad metrics

Google is expanding auditing of YouTube metrics, with three partners that collect data on the viewability of ads — that is, whether people actually see them — slated to have an independent audit.

The company announced today that Moat, Integral Ad Science and DoubleVerify “will undergo a stringent, independent audit” for accreditation by the Media Rating Council, an influential nonprofit organization that sets rules for the tracking of media consumption.

Earlier this month, Facebook announced that it, too, would have some of its ad metrics audited by the MRC. This followed Facebook’s revelations earlier this year it had miscalculated several metrics used to measure content’s performance on the platform.

The revelations included Facebook’s announcement in September that it had overestimated viewing time on video ads.

“Due to the miscalculated data, marketers may have misjudged the performance of video advertising they have purchased from Facebook over the past two years,” and could have impacted where the marketers chose to purchase video advertising, reported the Wall Street Journal in September.

The Journal, which first reported Google’s agreement to have the partners audited, says Google’s planned audits come as marketers in the digital ad industry push for greater transparency around ad data from Google and Facebook.

Google told Recode that this recent move is not in reaction to Facebook’s reported miscalculation or to outside pressure. The purpose of the audits is to improve advertisers’ confidence in metrics reported by the three partners, according to a company blog post.

It’s also not the first time Google has worked to gain accreditation from MRC. The company’s ad technology platform DoubleClick is already accredited, according to Google, among more than 30 accreditations “across display and video, desktop and mobile web, mobile apps, and clicks, plays, impressions and viewability.”

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

Will you support Vox’s explanatory journalism?

Millions turn to Vox to educate themselves, their family, and their friends about what’s happening in the world around them, and to learn about things that spark their curiosity. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all. Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today.

One-Time Monthly Annual

$95/year

$120/year

$250/year

$350/year

Other

$

Yes, I'll give $120/year

Yes, I'll give $120/year

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via