How do you ensure brand safety on CTV?

Content on WhatAnswers is provided "as is" for informational purposes. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees. Content is AI-assisted and should not be used as professional advice.

Last updated: April 8, 2026

Quick Answer: Brand safety on Connected TV (CTV) is ensured through programmatic ad buying with pre-bid filtering, which blocks ads from appearing alongside inappropriate content, and post-campaign verification using third-party tools like Integral Ad Science and DoubleVerify. A 2023 IAB study found that 78% of advertisers use content categorization to avoid risky CTV environments, while 65% employ keyword blocking. Additionally, the adoption of ads.txt and sellers.json by 85% of CTV publishers in 2024 helps prevent ad fraud by verifying authorized sellers.

Key Facts

78% of advertisers use content categorization for CTV brand safety (IAB, 2023)
65% employ keyword blocking on CTV platforms
85% of CTV publishers adopted ads.txt and sellers.json by 2024
Pre-bid filtering prevents 90% of inappropriate ad placements
CTV ad fraud decreased by 40% from 2022 to 2023 due to verification tools

Overview

Brand safety on Connected TV (CTV) refers to protecting brands from appearing alongside harmful or inappropriate content in streaming environments, emerging as CTV ad spending grew from $8.1 billion in 2020 to over $25 billion in 2023. Historically, TV advertising relied on network standards, but CTV's fragmented, internet-delivered nature introduced risks like adjacency to unmoderated user-generated content or fake news. The 2017 YouTube brand safety crisis, where ads appeared alongside extremist videos, accelerated industry action, leading to standards like the IAB's Content Taxonomy 3.0 in 2022. CTV now accounts for 20% of U.S. TV viewing time, making safety critical as 72% of consumers lose trust in brands associated with unsafe content per a 2023 Kantar survey.

How It Works

Brand safety on CTV operates through a multi-layered technical process. First, pre-bid filtering uses real-time data from supply-side platforms (SSPs) to block ad placements based on content categories (e.g., violence, hate speech) or keywords, preventing 90% of risky placements. Second, contextual targeting matches ads to suitable content using AI-driven semantic analysis, such as categorizing shows by genre or sentiment. Third, post-campaign verification employs third-party tools like DoubleVerify or IAS to scan ad deliveries for compliance, flagging violations like adjacency to pirated streams. Finally, transparency protocols like ads.txt (authorized digital sellers) and sellers.json (seller identities) authenticate inventory, reducing fraud by 40% from 2022 to 2023. These methods integrate via programmatic platforms, ensuring automated, scalable safety across CTV apps and devices.

Why It Matters

Ensuring brand safety on CTV matters because unsafe placements can damage reputation and revenue, with 64% of consumers avoiding brands linked to inappropriate content per a 2023 Nielsen report. Financially, CTV ad spending is projected to hit $40 billion by 2025, and safety measures protect this investment by boosting ROI—brand-safe campaigns see 30% higher engagement rates. Practically, it enables compliance with regulations like GDPR and COPPA, avoiding legal risks. For the industry, it fosters trust in CTV's growth, as 85% of advertisers prioritize safety in media buys. Ultimately, it ensures ethical advertising, aligning brands with quality content and enhancing viewer experience in the streaming era.