Google has issued refunds to hundreds of ad buyers for payments made for fraudulent traffic, most of it likely generated by malware or automated “bots.” The refunds represent only a small portion of the original spending — 7% to 10% — since rest of the money has already been passed on to site owners and middlemen.
The refunds, reported by the Wall Street Journal, primarily involved video advertising. They highlight a persistent issue that threatens the health of commercial content online.
