Digital Measurement Content Relayed Audit Beacon

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The Nielsen server-to-server solution requires audit pings for the purpose of validating audience reach and video viewing duration; one start and one end for each video stream. Pings originate from the end-user device to Nielsen Collections servers. End pings execute upon cessation of playback.

Ping Structure

Ping is executed with following convention:

https://[to_be_provided].imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/gn?prd=audit&+[query parameters]

The Start Audit Ping carries all parameters in the table below. The End Audit Ping carries a subset of the parameters in the matrix below as denoted in the mandatory column.  

Under normal operating circumstances, the audit ping server returns the following codes:

  • Audit ping servers reject cross-origin HTTP requests with preflight. To ensure that audit ping requests are accepted, allowable Content-Types like "text/plain" in simple GET requests ensure that preflight requests are not invoked
  • 200: Ping successfully received, inspect traffic to ensure no CORS errors

Session & Stream

  1. Sessions
    1. Optionally, a new Session ID may be created when a new player is created
    2. If more than one video player exists within the same App (e.g. picture in picture) a different Session ID is required for each
  2. Streams
    1. New Stream ID is generated for each new video stream.
    2. If stream playback continues after 24 hours, then a new Stream ID should be created and a new Audit ping should be executed (Session ID may remain)
    3. Stream ID remains the same independent of fast-forward, rewind, pause, events assuming the asset remains the same
    4. If playback is suspended for greater than 30mins (paused or otherwise suspended), a new Stream ID should be assigned upon return
    5. Audit pings should be fired at the beginning and end of a stream

Two-part Audit Ping design requires:

  1. End-user-device-initiated ping with client-owned root domain and SessionID included in subdomain. Nielsen meters are trained to regex for a unique domain format. Example: https://2576459933726989.darnuid.[publisher-domain].com
  2. S2S Audit Ping relay from client-server to Nielsen server with furnished URL parameters outlined below. Example: https://audit.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/gn?prd=audit&intid=xp3clqou0dzb1u4jq2jecoyvza&appid=FC984EC1-E044-B465-E040-070AAD3173A1&sessionid=2576459933726989&product=dar&createtm=1643858542

Query Parameters

Parameter Description Required Specified Format / Example
apid Server App ID assigned by Nielsen Yes Nielsen

Example: A487421B-XXXX-YYYY-8343-E3BBB66E44F2

sessionid Unique, client generated value that represents the start of a user session. “Session” is defined as continuous (flexible) interaction with an application that may span multiple streams. Yes Client

Format: alphanumeric Example: Random GUID: ce6c1c95-de3e-431e-b11e-77…

pingtype Indicator for ping type: "start" or "end" audit ping Yes Client

Format: integer,

  • 1 = Start Stream
  • 0 = Start Session
  • 3 = End Stream
  • 2 = End Session
product Indicates which product audit ping corresponds to Yes Client

Format: alphanumeric, Example: dcr, dtvr, dar, ctv

uoo User opt out flag for demographic measurement Yes, if devid/HHID provided Client

Format: integer

  • 0 = not opt-out
  • 1 = opt-out
devid Mobile Ad ID (IDFA, ADID), Connected Device ID Optional, or in S2S file Client A487421B-XXXX-YYYY-8343-E3BBB66E44F2
hhid House Hold ID. Used as a primary match key to external data sources. Optional, or in S2S file. Client B0EOFEDgD
createtm Time ping is initiated Yes Client

Format: Unix timestamp in 32-bit unsigned int in seconds Example: 1577858505

Audit Ping Start Example:

https://secure-audit.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/gn?prd=audit&apid=FC984EC1-E044-B465-E040-070AAD3173A1&sessionid=2576459933726989&streamid=3679422587354472&pingtype=0&product=ctv&uoo=1&createtm=1577858505&devid=4AB6FCE2-2848-4FA8-9BE3-46E206206AB

Audit Ping End Example:

https://secure-audit.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/gn?prd=audit&apid=FC984EC1-E044-B465-E040-070AAD3173A1&sessionid=2576459933726989&streamid=3679422587354472&pingtype=2&product=ctv&uoo=1&createtm=1577859637