'eBay Rolls Out Program to Combat Ad Fraud'

[momcqueen]

https://www.ecommercebytes.com/2018/01/27/ebay-rolls-program-combat-ad-fraud/

Can someone please dumb this down for me? I'd like to understand what this is about but I lack the grey matter to do so. 

Directly from the source: http://www.ebayadvertising.com/blog/protecting-your-investment-with-ebays-ads-txt/

Thank you in advance.

[momcqueen]

What is 'the sale of fraudulent, non-authentic impressions' and 'domain spoofing'?

Is that like when some other company pulls ebay listings into their own website(s)? Or offer fake 'likes' on things? 

Is this related to Watchers disappearing from Item Pages?

Inquiring minds want to know. 

[momcqueen]

And what 'digital inventory' does ebay sell? Sellers sell things, not ebay. 

I'm confused. 

[ypdc_dennis]

I suspect the digital info involved are the ads and this an effort to cut down on fake ads

[momcqueen]

Fake ads, like the third-party ads on the upper right-hand side of the page that make shoppers angry and result in the installation of AdBlocker? Or fake listings? 

Thank you for your response, by the way. I'm grateful.

[reallynicestamps]

Just as Marshall McLuhan explained that with broadcast television, the viewer was not the customer but the product being sold to advertisers,  eBay sells space to advertisers promising their ads will be seen by members.

I think the story is telling advertisers that if they really are dealing with eBay, they will be able to check .

And that without that code, advertisers were being sold non-existant space (and no eyeballs).

[momcqueen]

Oh, that makes sense too. Thanks.

[reallynicestamps]

I am a retired public servant.

I speak English, French and Obfuscation.

The initials (IAB) without an explanation is a nice touch.