Brand Safety Incident Rates: Key Statistics for 2026
Brand safety measures whether advertising appears alongside appropriate content. These statistics track incident rates and the business impact of unsafe ad placements.
Key Statistics
4.7% of digital ad impressions appear adjacent to brand-unsafe content globally
Source: IAS (2026)
Audit your marketing freeBrand safety incidents cost advertisers an estimated $4.1 billion in wasted spend annually
Source: DoubleVerify (2025)
Audit your marketing free68% of consumers say they would stop buying from a brand whose ads appear next to harmful content
Source: IAS (2025)
Audit your marketing freeBrand safety verification technology is used by 73% of programmatic buyers in 2026
Source: DoubleVerify (2026)
Audit your marketing freeMade-for-advertising (MFA) sites consume 15% of programmatic budgets while delivering near-zero value
Source: ANA (2025)
Audit your marketing freeAI-powered brand safety tools have reduced incident rates by 44% for adopters
Source: IAS (2025)
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Key Takeaway
Brand safety incidents remain a significant risk in programmatic advertising, with real consumer trust consequences. AI verification tools and MFA site blocking are the most effective protective measures.
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