With users using a mobile browser, the Facebook social network reports having overvalued clicks on advertiser pages. In the video carousel, a click on a video to enlarge and view it could thus be counted as a consultation of an advertiser's site.
Taking into account the advertising format concerned and according to advertisers' billing choices, this bug would have affected 0.04% of all advertising impressions. Facebook specifies that the measurement error did not affect its mobile application or even for a consultation on a computer.
With the apologies of rigor, Facebook announces that the damaged advertisers will be fully reimbursed for the sums unduly paid.
This bug was discovered in the context of a recently introduced third party audit procedure (Media Rating Council) and the engagement of Facebook for more transparency with its partners. Measures that were put in place after a controversy at the end of 2016.
In September, Facebook acknowledged an inaccuracy in its advertising data and overestimated for two years the average viewing time of videos on Facebook, Instagram and Audience Network. Subsequently, other errors were admitted and corrected.
In the first quarter of 2017, Facebook's advertising revenue ($ 7.86 billion) increased by 51% over one year and represents almost 98% of its turnover. 85% of advertising revenue comes from mobile.
