Building the Future of Responsible CTV With the IAB Gold Standard
Rakuten TV Enterprise achieved IAB UK Gold Standard certification earlier this year, becoming the first CTV publisher to meet the expanded criteria for connected TV. This accomplishment reflects our long-standing commitment to transparency, responsibility, and quality, including practices that help reduce the risk of ad fraud, and it continues to guide the way we build and operate our CTV offering.
What is the IAB UK Gold Standard?
The IAB UK Gold Standard is a leading industry initiative designed to improve the digital advertising environment for advertisers, publishers, and consumers. It brings together a series of best practice frameworks that address key challenges including fraud, brand safety, user experience, and privacy. In 2025, the Gold Standard was expanded to include CTV and retail media. This update recognises the rapid growth of connected TV and introduces new criteria that support greater consistency, transparency, and measurement across the CTV supply chain.
Requirements for Publishers Seeking Certification
To earn Gold Standard certification, publishers must demonstrate a commitment to quality,
transparency, and responsibility across their advertising operations.
The criteria focus on five key areas:
- Strengthening transparency to help combat ad fraud
- Supporting brand safe media environments
- Prioritising positive viewer experiences
- Safeguarding user privacy
- Meeting the expectations of the expanding CTV market
These principles align with the strategic direction of Rakuten TV Enterprise as we move into 2026 and support our vision for a trusted and future ready CTV advertising ecosystem.
Raising the Standard for Responsible CTV Media
Our early adoption of the enhanced Gold Standard criteria reflects Rakuten TV Enterprise’s ongoing efforts to support a reliable and accountable CTV environment. This certification continues to guide our approach and reinforces our focus on areas that matter most to advertisers and viewers, including:
- Supporting a safe and transparent media environment that helps limit exposure to ad fraud
- Contributing to the development of consistent practices across the CTV market
- Prioritising responsible and audience friendly advertising experiences
These efforts strengthen our position as a dependable partner for brands and agencies seeking clarity and confidence in their CTV investment.
Strengthened by Government Support
The recent endorsement of the Gold Standard by the UK Government Communications Service further validates the importance of responsible, standards led advertising. As long-standing supporters of the initiative, we welcome this recognition and see it as an important step in reinforcing trust across both public and commercial digital media environments.
What This Means for Advertisers and Partners
This certification provides Rakuten TV Enterprise partners with:
- Greater transparency across the supply chain to reduce opportunities for ad fraud
- Reduced risk of fraud or unsafe content
- Clear and responsible privacy and consent practices
- Confidence in consistent and premium CTV delivery
- Assurance that Rakuten TV Enterprise meets the highest standards set by IAB UK
Shaping the Future of CTV
As the first CTV publisher to achieve the expanded IAB UK Gold Standard certification, Rakuten TV Enterprise will continue working closely with industry partners to advance trust, accountability, and quality in connected TV. With ongoing support from both the industry and the UK government, the Gold Standard is helping to shape the future of digital advertising, and we remain committed to playing an active role in that evolution.
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