At the moment there is configuration option to only accept requests from a specific host.
This should help avoiding fake clicks.
I'd love to have suggestions on how improve this particular aspect :)
I'd love to have suggestions on how improve this particular aspect :)
The only way forward that I can see is anonymous aggregation by a 3rd party that is not the advertiser or the website, and which has incentives to protect the users.
Imagine a system with dozens of 3rd party collectors that anonymize browsing data. The data is submitted by users who have a plugin for their collector. The collectors then sell the anonymous data to the advertisers. Advertisers can then compare data from different collectors to determine fake clicks, and what the level of payment should be.
There are two big problems with a scheme like this. First, anonymous data is much less valuable to advertisers. I think this can only be solved by technical means; making anonymous data the only information available. Second, why should users have a plugin that tracks them? Access to content seems like the obvious answer; users with a plugin (being tracked by a collector) could be allowed to read the NYT and the NYT website could be paid by the collector.
Realistically, I don't see either of the problems being resolved.