MC API Phase II: AMI/MRC Filters Not Defaulting In Video/Display

by Alex Johnson 65 views

Introduction

The MC API Phase II implementation has encountered a critical issue regarding the application of default filters for Video and Display categories. Specifically, the AMI (Advertising Media Identification) and MRC (Media Rating Council) filters, which are industry standards for ensuring ad viewability and quality, are not being applied by default. This article delves into the details of this bug, its impact, and the steps needed to rectify it, ensuring compliance with measurement policy requirements and maintaining the integrity of cross-media measurement.

Understanding the Importance of AMI and MRC Filters

Before we delve deeper, it's crucial to understand the significance of AMI and MRC filters in the context of digital advertising. AMI helps in identifying and categorizing ad content, ensuring that ads are placed in appropriate environments. MRC standards, on the other hand, set the benchmarks for ad viewability, ensuring that ads have a reasonable opportunity to be seen by users. For video ads, MRC standards typically require 100% of the ad to be in view for at least 2 continuous seconds. For display ads, the standard is 50% in view for 1 continuous second. These standards are vital for maintaining the credibility of ad metrics and ensuring that advertisers are paying for ads that are actually seen.

The Bug: AMI and MRC Filters Not Applied by Default

The core issue lies in the fact that the MC API Phase II does not automatically apply AMI and MRC filters for Video and Display categories. According to the measurement policy requirements, these filters should be applied by default, ensuring a baseline level of ad quality and viewability measurement. However, the current implementation requires the API caller to explicitly specify an Impression Qualification Filter (IQF), which directly contradicts the intended behavior. This means that if the caller does not explicitly request these filters, the system will not apply them, leading to potentially inaccurate or inflated ad metrics. The desired functionality is that these filters should be applied automatically, with the option for users to apply custom filters in addition to the defaults. This ensures a consistent and reliable measurement framework while allowing for flexibility in specific use cases.

Steps to Reproduce the Issue

While there are no specific steps to reproduce the issue in a user interface context, the bug was identified through a comprehensive code review and discussions with the development team, particularly with Sanjay. This highlights the importance of thorough code reviews and internal communication in identifying and addressing potential issues before they impact users. The absence of default application of AMI and MRC filters was confirmed by examining the API's behavior and configuration settings, revealing that the expected defaults were not being enforced.

Impact and Affected Components

The failure to apply default AMI and MRC filters has significant implications for the accuracy and reliability of ad measurements. Without these filters, there is a risk of reporting impressions that do not meet industry standards for viewability and quality, potentially leading to inflated metrics and misinformed decision-making. This issue directly affects the MC API Phase II, which is intended to provide a standardized interface for cross-media measurement. Additionally, the problem extends to the Impression Qualification Filters Configurations, as the default settings are not being properly applied. This discrepancy undermines the purpose of having these configurations in place, as they are not effectively enforced by the API. Consequently, users of the API may receive data that does not accurately reflect the true performance of their advertising campaigns.

The affected components include:

  • MC API Phase II
  • Impression Qualification Filters Configurations

This issue was identified in the Phase II release of the MC API, highlighting the importance of rigorous testing and validation processes in software development. Addressing this bug is crucial for ensuring that the API functions as intended and provides reliable data for cross-media measurement.

Expected vs. Actual Behavior

To further clarify the issue, let's compare the expected behavior with the actual behavior of the MC API Phase II.

Expected Behavior

For Video ads, the expected default filters are:

  • AMI
  • MRC Standard: 100% in view, 2 continuous seconds

For Display ads, the expected default filters are:

  • AMI
  • MRC Standard: 50% in view, 1 continuous second

These defaults should be automatically applied without requiring any explicit action from the user. This ensures that all measurements adhere to the industry standards for viewability and quality.

Actual Behavior

In the current implementation, the API requires the caller to specify at least one IQF (impression_qualification_filter_id). No default filters are applied, and the API returns an error if the IQF field is left empty. Although AMI and MRC filters exist in the configuration, they are not automatically applied and must be explicitly passed by the caller. This deviation from the expected behavior undermines the purpose of having default filters and increases the risk of inaccurate measurements.

Technical Details and Developer Notes

Developer notes confirm that while AMI and MRC IDs exist within the system's configuration, they are not being automatically applied. Instead, the API requires these IDs to be explicitly passed by the caller. This behavior stems from a design choice that does not support leaving the IQF field empty. The current implementation lacks the logic to automatically apply default filters, necessitating a change in the API's behavior to align with the measurement policy requirements. Addressing this issue involves modifying the API to automatically apply the default filters and allow users to add custom filters as needed.

Addressing the Issue: Steps to Resolution

Resolving this issue requires a multi-faceted approach, focusing on both immediate fixes and long-term improvements to the MC API.

Immediate Steps

  1. Implement Default Filter Application: The most crucial step is to modify the API to automatically apply the default AMI and MRC filters for Video and Display categories. This requires changes to the API's logic to ensure that these filters are applied unless explicitly overridden by the user.
  2. Update API Documentation: Clear and concise documentation is essential for users to understand how the API functions. The documentation should be updated to reflect the new behavior of the API, emphasizing that default filters are automatically applied and explaining how users can add custom filters.

Long-Term Improvements

  1. Enhance Testing and Validation: To prevent similar issues in the future, the testing and validation processes for the MC API should be enhanced. This includes implementing more comprehensive unit tests, integration tests, and user acceptance tests to ensure that all components function as expected.
  2. Improve Configuration Management: The management of filter configurations should be streamlined to ensure that default settings are correctly applied and easily maintained. This may involve re-evaluating the current configuration structure and implementing improvements to enhance its flexibility and reliability.

Conclusion

The issue with the MC API Phase II not applying default AMI and MRC filters for Video and Display categories is a significant concern that must be addressed promptly. By understanding the importance of these filters, the impact of the bug, and the steps required for resolution, we can ensure that the API functions as intended and provides reliable data for cross-media measurement. The implementation of default filters is crucial for maintaining industry standards for ad viewability and quality, and resolving this issue will enhance the credibility and effectiveness of advertising metrics.

For more information on MRC standards and viewability metrics, visit the Media Rating Council website.