Facebook invites the MRC to audit its stats and data
Facebook intends to demonstrate the efficacy of its audience measurement techniques by inviting the Media Rating Council (MRC) to audit its stats and data. As part of the audit, the MRC will vet Facebook's served ad impression measurements, according to Brad Smallwood, Facebook's VP of marketing science. The MRC will then use third-party vendors comScore, Moat and Integral Ad Science to calculate viewability. Finally, the MRC will assess an ad buying option which Facebook will introduce to align with the MRC's definition of viewability. The audit comes after marketers including Fiat Chrysler Automobiles criticised the social giant's secretive audience measurement methods.
Facebook execs offered a peek at how the social giant approaches measurement during a news conference today that included an update on its upcoming audit with the Media Rating Council. Facebook also announced its new measurement science center in New York, which Adweek had a first look at this week.