Kargo supply policy

Section 1: Core Supply Principles

At Kargo, our supply ecosystem is highly curated, transparent, and verified and we do not buy media via a 3rd party unless such 3rd party either has an exclusive right or has some unique access to inventory. We uphold the following foundational values and actively monitor compliance across our marketplace:

  • We prohibit MFA (Made-for-Advertising) inventory in any form.

    • We define MFA inventory as content that lacks original editorial value and exists primarily to generate ad impressions, including but not limited to content farms, arbitrage sites and sites with excessive ad-to-content ratios.  

  • We only allow 100 percent direct supply paths, working exclusively with publishers or their exclusive monetization sales partners.

    • For clarity, “exclusive monetization partners” are defined as entities with contractually established exclusive rights to sell a publisher’s inventory in specific channels or formats.

  • We provide publishers with clear guidance to uphold the highest industry standards for IVT, viewability and brand safety; our marketplace consistently exceeds these benchmarks and is recognized as one of the most trusted and cleanest networks in the industry. 

  • We prioritize editorial transparency, requiring our publishers to meet rigorous credibility benchmarks, including strong NewsGuard Trust Scores and adherence to fact-based journalism standards informed by frameworks such as the Global Disinformation Index.

  • We maintain zero tolerance for unsafe or illegal content, including CSAM, hate speech, extremist material, or other forms of harmful or deceptive media.

Kargo’s Publisher Scorecard is a foundational component of our supply governance program. It evaluates every publisher’s performance across a range of quality and compliance dimensions including editorial credibility, viewability, ad quality, attention metrics, and adherence to brand safety and factual content standards. Each publisher is assigned a dynamic score based on both first-party and third-party validation, including data from partners such as NewsGuard, HUMAN, DoubleVerify (DV), and Integral Ad Science (IAS). Part of the score is evaluating the content experience and making sure our ad formats and other ads on the publisher create a good user experience.

The Scorecard is monitored continuously, with key metrics reviewed monthly and performance benchmarks updated based on evolving industry expectations and advertiser requirements. Quarterly audits are conducted to reassess overall eligibility. Publishers who fall short of Kargo’s standards are given a defined remediation window. If compliance is not restored, monetization is paused or the partner is removed from the platform.

Section 2: Content Guidelines

2.1 Minimum Content Requirements

Kargo prohibits inventory that:

  • Lacks original editorial content

  • Exists solely to serve ads (MFA)

    • Exists solely to serve ads (Made-for-Advertising or MFA), defined as content with minimal user value that exists primarily to generate ad impressions through tactics such as content recycling, clickbait, excessive pagination, or ad-to-content ratios exceeding industry standards

  • Fails to identify content ownership

  • Functions as a redirect or proxy without user value. When something functions as a redirect or proxy without direct user value, it means it's serving a technical purpose, often for security, optimization, or management, rather than directly displaying content or providing a visible service to the end user.

2.2 Banned Categories

Kargo prohibits content that includes, but is not limited to:

  • Terrorism, violence, or harm

  • Hate speech or targeted harassment

  • Illegal downloads, piracy, or malware

  • Misinformation, extremism, or explicit content, including AI-generated deepfakes, synthetic media without proper disclosure, and manipulated content designed to mislead

  • Unmoderated or unsafe user-generated content

  • Any inventory injected into third-party properties via browser extensions, toolbars, VPNs, proxies, or plug-ins

2.3 Restricted Categories

The following content categories may be permitted under certain conditions but require additional scrutiny through our review process, which includes content evaluation, audience targeting restrictions, and advertiser opt-in requirements::

  • Alcohol

  • Sexual health

  • Suggestive or mature themes

  • Prescription drug-related content

  • Fantasy sports and gambling

  • Medical and health-related content

     

Section 3: Implementation Standards

3.1 Ad Safety and Transparency

Kargo is committed to delivering ad experiences that respect the user journey. We maintain a clear set of expectations for publisher partners:

  • Avoid misleading or disruptive user experiences such as fake system prompts, deceptive video play buttons, or automatic downloads.

  • Ads must be clearly distinguishable from editorial content using proper labeling, spacing, and design.

  • Kargo actively monitors for ad stacking and ad collisions in near real-time. If detected, the issue is promptly flagged to the publisher for immediate resolution. If not addressed within a reasonable timeframe, Kargo demand will be paused.

  • Ad formats must be responsive and render cleanly across all screen sizes, devices, and orientations.

  • Site functionality, including scrolling, navigation, and page load, must not be obstructed by ad behavior or code execution.

  • Ad slots must be visible and not manipulated to artificially enhance viewability. Practices such as stacking, hiding ads, or rendering ads in small or invisible iframes are not permitted.

These expectations are enforced through ongoing reviews, automated tag validation, and publisher feedback. Kargo may remove publishers who violate these standards.

3.2 Supply Path Standards

  • All traffic must be sourced directly from publishers or their exclusive representatives.

  • Sellers.json and ads.txt files must accurately reflect authorized selling entities.

  • Artificial inflation of impressions, clicks, or traffic is strictly prohibited and monitored by first- and third-party tools via the Kargo Publisher Tag.

  • Publishers must either (a) own each property on which ads are served via the Kargo platform, or (b) have a direct contractual relationship with the owner. If the property maintains an ads.txt file, the Publisher’s Kargo account must be listed as an authorized seller.

  • Inventory from applications such as browser plug-ins or toolbars that insert ads without written permission is not allowed.

  • Complete domain-level transparency is required. Misrepresentation of traffic sources, including masking or cloaking, is grounds for removal.

  • All inventory attributes—site or app identifiers, device types, ad formats, placements, geolocation, user agents, sellers.json, and SupplyObject (schain) data—must be accurate and complete.

  • Each ad call must represent a unique impression opportunity. Repeating ad calls for the same placement due to non-fill (bid jamming or request looping) is prohibited. If bid caching is used, cached bids must be used only within the same session and ad unit, and expire within 360 seconds or upon display.

3.3 Ad Refresh and Bid Caching Standards

  • Ad units must remain continuously in view before being eligible for refresh, with minimum viewability requirements varying by content type: 30 seconds for standard content, 45 seconds for video content, and 20 seconds for news/short-form content with active user engagement signals.

  • Publishers must implement appropriate view tracking logic and comply with industry-recognized viewability metrics.

  • Inventory must be measured using an MRC-accredited verification provider.

  • Publishers engaging in bid caching must adhere to industry best practices and ensure compliance with the following requirements: 1) A cached bid must, at a minimum, be utilized for the same ad unit, within the same page view, and for the same user and 2) The maximum allowable caching duration shall not exceed 360 seconds or persist beyond the point at which the bid wins and is displayed, whichever occurs first.

3.4 Inventory Performance Management

Kargo may set impression request thresholds for each publisher based on inventory value and quality. If a publisher exceeds these thresholds, Kargo reserves the right to pause monetization or implement corrective actions. Notification will be provided where feasible, though platform stability remains the priority. Kargo sets impression request thresholds for each publisher based on inventory value and quality metrics including viewability rates, engagement metrics, and historical performance. These thresholds are communicated during onboarding and updated quarterly. If a publisher exceeds these thresholds, Kargo reserves the right to pause monetization or implement corrective actions. Notification will be provided where feasible, though platform stability remains the priority.

3.5 Inventory Quality and Fraud

Kargo monitors inventory for invalid traffic, impression inflation, and brand safety risks. Where violations occur, Kargo may:

  • Withhold payment for impacted impressions pending investigation

  • Deduct or deny payment for confirmed fraudulent impressions

  • Suspend or terminate partnerships in the case of repeated violations

Monitoring is conducted using internal tools and third-party vendors such as HUMAN, IAS, and DV.

3.6 CTV and Video Inventory Standards

  • Video inventory must be clearly signaled using standard attributes such as player size, placement, and playback method.

  • Misrepresentation of these attributes is prohibited.

  • Looping or rotating video inside display ad slots is not allowed.

3.7 Connected Television 

  • All CTV inventory must display ads in-stream, aligned with quality user experience standards. CTV inventory must include authenticated device identifiers, content metadata, and app bundle information for verification. Server-side ad insertion (SSAI) implementations must follow IAB Tech Lab guidelines and include appropriate signaling.

  • Streamers/Media Owners/CTV Publishers engaging in bid caching must adhere to industry best practices and ensure compliance with the following requirements: 1) A cached bid must, at a minimum, be utilized for the same ad unit, within the same page view, and for the same user and 2) The maximum allowable caching duration shall not exceed 360 seconds or persist beyond the point at which the bid wins and is displayed, whichever occurs first.

Section 4: Measurement & Transparency

4.1 Impression-Level Detail

Full transparency is required for each impression, including publisher domain, ad placement, and contextual classification. Full transparency is required for each impression, including publisher domain, ad placement, contextual classification, viewability metrics, and user engagement signals. Publishers must provide standardized data fields in consistent formats for all impressions, including but not limited to domain, page URL, ad size, placement type, content category, and viewability measurements.

4.2 Compliance Reporting

Kargo supports brand audits, regulatory disclosures, and internal reviews through campaign-level reporting and automated quality controls. Kargo supports brand audits, regulatory disclosures, and internal reviews through campaign-level reporting and automated quality controls. Publishers must participate in monthly compliance reporting cycles, with data submitted by the 5th business day of each month. Reports must include verification metrics, invalid traffic rates, and compliance with all applicable standards in this policy.

Section 5: Publisher Privacy and Consent Management

All publishers must obtain valid user consent for data collection, targeting, or geolocation, especially in jurisdictions such as the European Union, the United Kingdom, or California. Personally identifiable information (PII) must not be passed to Kargo under any circumstances. If location data is collected, publishers must secure opt-in consent through a just-in-time notice that clearly explains the purposes of collection, including advertising, attribution, and analytics.

**All publishers must obtain valid user consent for data collection, targeting, or geolocation in accordance with applicable privacy regulations, including but not limited to GDPR, UK GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, VCDPA, CPA, CTDPA, UCPA, and the Federal Data Privacy Act of 2024. Personally identifiable information (PII) must not be passed to Kargo under any circumstances.

If location data is collected, publishers must secure opt-in consent through a just-in-time notice that clearly explains the purposes of collection, including advertising, attribution, and analytics.

Publishers must:

  • Maintain consent records for a minimum of 36 months

  • Implement a Consent Management Platform (CMP) that complies with IAB Transparency and Consent Framework v2.2 or higher

  • Support cookieless identity solutions with appropriate privacy controls and disclosures

  • Provide users with clear, accessible privacy controls including opt-out mechanisms

  • Conduct annual privacy impact assessments and share results with Kargo upon request**

This Policy was last updated August 2025