Centro last month started to enforce the app-ads.txt, the company announced on July 30. Centro’s programmatic ad platform, Basis, automatically targets app ads from authorized and validated sellers. Centro says this prevents advertisers from buying ads from fraudulent and questionable sellers representing mobile applications.

Centro began the testing of app-ads.txt enforcement in Basis in Q2 2019, and was one of the first DSPs to enforce the app-ads.txt. Google started to enforce one month later after communicating the app-ads.txt support to publishers.

“Authorization and validation of sellers is an important step in creating brand safe environments for marketers,” said Ian Trider, director of RTB platform operations, Centro. “Centro is ensuring that our users access app inventory solely from sellers authenticated by app publishers. As app-ads.txt gains wider adoption and as other DSPs follow our lead, there will be fewer and fewer opportunities for fraudulent entities in the digital media ecosystem.”