iOS · Guardian News & Media Ltd

The Guardian - US & World News

Developer URL: https://www.theguardian.com
app-ads.txt: https://www.theguardian.com/app-ads.txt · 200
Checked: Oct 7, 2026

77/100

27 lines · 22 verified against sellers.json

Findings

Each finding lists the exact lines involved. These are mechanical checks of public files, not fraud verdicts.

warning

Seller IDs not listed in the ad system's sellers.json

10 −20 pts

The ad system's current sellers.json doesn't list these accounts, so buyers that validate the chain can't match them. Usually leftovers from closed accounts or old partners.

How to fixAsk each partner whether the account is still active and request their current lines; remove lines for closed accounts.

Evidence (10)

line 15     triplelift.com,2816,DIRECT,6c33edb13117fd86
             → sellers_json=https://triplelift.com/sellers.json
line 23     improvedigital.com, 1447, DIRECT
             → sellers_json=https://improvedigital.com/sellers.json
line 26     google.com, pub-1452170585655900, DIRECT
             → sellers_json=https://realtimebidding.google.com/sellers.json
line 28     google.com, pub-4979300716531995, DIRECT
             → sellers_json=https://realtimebidding.google.com/sellers.json
line 29     google.com, pub-5024059404294558, DIRECT
             → sellers_json=https://realtimebidding.google.com/sellers.json
line 30     google.com, pub-5107472231497753, DIRECT
             → sellers_json=https://realtimebidding.google.com/sellers.json
line 31     google.com, pub-7526622147976638, DIRECT
             → sellers_json=https://realtimebidding.google.com/sellers.json
line 32     teads.tv, 15940, DIRECT, 15a9c44f6d26cbe1
             → sellers_json=https://teads.tv/sellers.json
line 33     teads.tv, 18296, DIRECT, 15a9c44f6d26cbe1
             → sellers_json=https://teads.tv/sellers.json
line 35     triplelift.com, 2885-EB, DIRECT, 6c33edb13117fd86
             → sellers_json=https://triplelift.com/sellers.json

info

DIRECT accounts registered to another domain

3 −2 pts

Allowed when the domain belongs to the same company; add OWNERDOMAIN to make that explicit. Otherwise these accounts may belong to someone else.

How to fixIf the account is yours under another domain, declare it with OWNERDOMAIN=<that domain>; otherwise mark it RESELLER.

Evidence (3)

line 11     smartadserver.com,3855,DIRECT,060d053dcf45cbf3
             → seller_domain=guardian.co.uk  seller_name=Guardian News  Media Limited
line 25     smartadserver.com, 3855, DIRECT
             → seller_domain=guardian.co.uk  seller_name=Guardian News  Media Limited
line 34     teads.tv, 2167, DIRECT, 15a9c44f6d26cbe1
             → seller_domain=guardian.co.uk  seller_name=Guardian News & Media

info

Duplicate lines

1 −1 pts

Harmless but a sign of copy-paste maintenance.

How to fixRemove duplicates; keep one copy of each line.

Evidence (1)

ad_system: smartadserver.com  seller_id: 3855  relationship: DIRECT

info

Ad systems without a public sellers.json

The ad system doesn't publish a readable sellers.json, so nobody can verify these lines. That's the ad system's gap, not the app's, so no points are deducted.

How to fixAsk the partner to publish sellers.json; until then buyers can't verify that path.

Evidence (3)

line 13     openx.com,559090935,DIRECT,6a698e2ec38604c6
             → sellers_json=HTTP 403
line 16     appnexus.com,2888,DIRECT,f5ab79cb980f11d1
             → sellers_json=HTTP 403
line 21     openx.com, 564251974, DIRECT, 6a698e2ec38604c6
             → sellers_json=HTTP 403

Is this your app?

Get the full evidence list, a cleaned app-ads.txt, and alerts when partners' accounts change. Think something here is wrong? Request a correction.

Monitor this app