Escalated.io Partners with TAG to Strengthen Ad Fraud Defense

Escalated.io, a rising player in the ad fraud detection space, has officially joined TAG’s (Trustworthy Accountability Group) Data Center IP (DCIP) program as a Qualified Data Contributor (QDC)—a move that bolsters both the company’s credibility and the broader industry's arsenal against invalid traffic (IVT).

The DCIP list, published monthly by TAG, aggregates high-risk IP addresses associated with invalid traffic across the digital advertising ecosystem. Companies in the supply chain—from DSPs to ad networks—can use the list to audit transactions and block fraudulent impressions before damage is done.

As a QDC, Escalated.io will contribute verified IP data each month, feeding into one of the most critical shared resources in the digital ad world.

“We’re excited to be contributing and giving back to the community in this manner,” said Kyle Smith, CEO of Escalated.io. “This partnership helps ensure that the intelligence shared across the ecosystem remains accurate and actionable.”

Why This Matters: Fighting Ad Fraud Needs Collective Action

Invalid traffic is more than a line item—it's a multi-billion-dollar leak in the digital ad economy. Fraudulent traffic inflates campaign metrics, skews performance insights, and robs publishers and platforms of legitimate revenue. Worse, it undermines trust between advertisers, agencies, and supply-side platforms.

While many vendors offer proprietary detection tools, TAG’s DCIP list functions as a neutral, industry-vetted defense layer, regularly updated with contributions from vetted players like Escalated.io.

“The effectiveness of shared tools like the DCIP list depends on the support of companies like Escalated.io,” said Lisa Gansky, Director of Product Management at TAG. “Their role as a QDC highlights leadership and a genuine commitment to protecting the digital advertising ecosystem.”

Escalated.io’s Growing Role in Ad Integrity

This move marks a significant step for Escalated.io, a company gaining traction for its ability to detect sophisticated, evasive forms of IVT across channels and platforms. Unlike generalized fraud blockers, Escalated.io emphasizes granular detection and real-time insights, helping both buy-side and sell-side players safeguard campaigns without sacrificing scale.

Becoming a QDC gives Escalated.io a stronger voice in industry standard-setting, and positions the company as a trusted partner for brands, agencies, and platforms seeking transparency in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

The Bigger Picture: Shared Data, Shared Defense

As ad fraud grows in complexity—spanning spoofed traffic, data center IP abuse, and evolving bot networks—shared intelligence becomes not just helpful, but essential. With TAG’s DCIP list acting as a shared firewall and companies like Escalated.io contributing to its upkeep, the industry moves a step closer to real-time threat mitigation.

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