BotnetMenace

Digital advertising in India is on an upswing. According to GroupM estimates, digital ad expenditure stood at Rs 12,337 crore in 2018, and is expected to grow to Rs 16,038 crore in 2019.

A report by market research firm TechArc, however, has revealed that digital advertisers in India were duped of as much as $1.63 billion or Rs 11,573 crore ($1 = Rs 71) in 2018. The number is worrying, as total expenditure and the defrauded amount are not far removed.

So, while the segment has been growing rapidly, this development can make advertisers question the actual impact of digital campaigns.

The TechArc report said agencies often employ bots and fake accounts to inflate the impact of an advertising campaign and hike rates. Plus, it projects an increase of 23 per cent in digital ad-fraud in 2019.