The Center for Democracy and Technology has released their latest report on advertising intermediaries, which include ad networks, affiliate networks, and cpa networks. The document might be confusing if you are not practiced in the world of online advertising but the CDT does a pretty good job of making a complex economy simple.

The takeaway is that advertisers and advertising intermediaries need to practice more due dilligence in their business practices.

Find below the download links for the Following the Money Trail Series Part I and the latest Part II. If you want to understand how malware and money are the new fuel for Internet mayhem this is a good place to start.

To give you an idea how complex some of the relationships become while we track the money trail on cases take a look at this sample screenshot from the report. Rest assured we have seen cases far more tangled than this cloud.

"Companies need to take responsibility when their advertising dollars go to support companies that prey on unsuspecting consumers," said CDT Policy Analyst Alissa Cooper, who co-authored the report. "Whether placed directly or through intermediaries, these ads diminish the Internet experience for millions of people. Advertisers that work with these distributors are running out of excuses, and must either start policing their advertising spending, or answering to their customers who have been harmed by adware."

Indeed! We could not agree more.

Take the time to get educated with these great reports from the CDT and pass them along to your friends. Have an advertising question? Drop us a comment and and I will be happy to answer it for you or find someone who can.

Part 1 of the CDT Report [PDF]

Part 2 of the CDT Report [PDF]

Report Write-Up: Wayne Porter, Sr. Dir. Greynets Research