Facebook has pledged to undergo audits by the media industry’s measurement watchdog, the Media Rating Council, people familiar with the matter say, a move that will likely please ad-industry executives who are skeptical of the tech giant’s data-reporting practices.
Ad executives have been clamoring for more independent verification of Facebook’s metrics, especially after a series of disclosures by the company in recent months about mistakes in its data.
Representatives from Facebook, including Carolyn Everson, the company’s vice president of global marketing solutions, delivered a presentation Thursday in Washington, D.C. to the board of the Association of National Advertisers, a trade group for marketers, the people familiar with the matter say.
Ms. Everson informed the group that Facebook plans to provide more granular data to third-party measurement partners such as Integral Ad Science and Moat. That will include metrics such as how many ads in a given campaign are viewable, how long these ads appear on various screens and whether sound was on for video ads.
That could mean that more Facebook data will be vetted by independent third parties, which advertisers can then use when evaluating media buys on the platform.
In addition, Ms. Everson pledged that Facebook will undergo MRC-administered audits to help marketers feel that Facebook is more accountable, the people familiar with the matter said.
The MRC, the media industry body that certifies measurement methods, declined to comment. Representatives from ANA couldn’t be reached for comment.
Facebook has been under fire of late for a series of embarrassing data mishaps. And advertisers have generally been frustrated by their belief that Facebook and other big digital platforms do the equivalent of grading their own homework, while not allowing for genuine third-party inspection of their data.
Marc Pritchard, chief brand officer for Procter & Gamble, who has called for more transparent measurement practices by big tech companies, attended the ANA session and was pleased with Facebook’s pledge.
“Facebook’s actions on media transparency are a positive step forward, particularly coming from one of the largest media players in the industry,” he said in a statement. He said he hopes Facebook’s move “builds more momentum to create a clean and productive digital media supply chain.”
During the meeting, Ms. Everson also laid out a number of new ad-buying options requested by advertisers, including the ability for brands to pay only for video ads that run to completion.
But she also laid out some of the downsides of such tactics. For example, buying ads based on how long they are viewed can lead to reaching older users who scroll slowly through their newsfeeds and can drive up ad costs, she told marketers.
Write to Mike Shields at mike.shields@wsj.com
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