A New Age Means New Problems

Lukas Moore
lm169715@ohio.edu

   Ask someone 20 years ago about digital ad fraud and they would look at you with a blank stare. Same thing with how to regulate internet porn, or how to ensure users on Twitter are actual people. So many of the problems we face today with the internet are problems we couldn't even imagine in 1998. We are struggling with these problems too, with a lot of blog posts just like this ranting on how these problems need to be addressed and need to be fixed. News and talk shows rant on end about all the problems of the internet and its harmful repercussions, they rant on how the government needs to step up and fix these wide ranging and complex issues immediately. The thing is, we all just need to relax. These problems will work themselves out in due time, just like problems from other technological advancements worked itself out. The telephone and television both had issues in terms of distribution and regulation that were hard to figure out, but we pushed through it and now we have a system that works. This will be the same story for the internet and especially advertising on the internet. Although there are some major problems that I'll touch on in a second, they are fixable issues, they are issues that will be solved. So, no need to panic, no need to claim the world is in a worse place, we will be just fine.

Digital Ad Fraud

Advertisements online have faced many issues, including fraudulent advertisements. The most troubling quote I found from an article on the issue is from the CEO of a fraud detection firm who said that some digital ad fraud is so egregious that the only way it can be successful is because nobody cares. This is troubling to me because although patience is key on fixing these complex issues, we also have to care about these issues to fix them.
  Allowing false advertising or not fulfilling the promise of certain advertising promises is fraud. Us not caring about the fraud is a societal issue of not valuing the truth, or honesty. Which is so much more important than we admit.

Truth

We as a country, as a culture, as a collection of human beings must start valuing the truth. Our social media is filled with half-truths, we only showcase our brighter sides. We lie to ourselves constantly, we would rather a false statement support our opinion than a truthful statement go against it. This attitude towards the truth, which we see in digital ad fraud, is a poison in our society. If we just valued the truth a little more as individuals I feel that a lot of our problems would be fixed.

But even if we don't have a societal epiphany about the truth, this issue of digital ad fraud will work itself out. We will adjust, find new ways to regulate and keep these companies in line. We will figure it out, we always have.