Comcast deliberately inflates bidding requests to extract extra revenue from DSP partners

Comcast's freewheel has a project called “smart bidding” that sends duplicated bidding requests with slightly varying attributes to extract extra revenue from DSP partners.

Their team has implemented algorithms to duplicate bidding requests by setting ratios for DSPs, which increases requests automatically.

Here is one analysis from the project. Notably, major DSPs such as TTD, Yahoo, Microsoft, Amazon, and Adobe, were all involved.

The extent to which Comcast is aware of the potential violation of industry standards resulting from this behavior remains unclear. However, they have chosen to conceal the project from partners and have selectively and gradually rolled it out.

1. TTD is excluded temporarily, high-currency events are excluded

2. The rollout has been planned in multiple phases, and each phase has targeted inflation ratios

3. Rollback protocol is in place

It is disheartening to witness Comcast's involvement in such questionable practices within the advertising business.