# serve_ad

Request ad delivery for a zone. Returns the ad(s) that would be served, useful for verifying ad setup. Uses POST /adserve.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `serve_ad`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/serve-ad

## Facts

- Tool: `serve_ad`
- Server: AdButler (`adbutler/mcp-server`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/adbutler/mcp-server
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 12 (2 required)
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `ID` | number | yes | Your AdButler account ID |
| `ip` | string | no | IPv4 address for geographic targeting (required for server-side requests) |
| `kw` | array | no | Keywords for keyword targeting |
| `rf` | number | no | Pass 1 to include is_redirectable field in response |
| `sh` | number | no | Screen height for platform targeting |
| `sw` | number | no | Screen width for platform targeting |
| `ua` | string | no | User agent string for platform targeting |
| `pid` | number | no | Page ID for unique delivery/roadblocks (random number, same for all zones on page) |
| `spr` | number | no | Screen pixel ratio for platform targeting |
| `size` | string | no | Expected ad size (e.g. "300x250") |
| `type` | string | yes | Response type: "json" for most eligible ad, "jsonr" for all eligible ads ranked |
| `place` | number | no | Place counter for unique delivery (0, 1, 2, etc.) |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "serve_ad",
    "arguments": {
      "ID": 0,
      "type": "<type>"
    }
  }
}
```

## Why serve_ad is rated Low

The tool requests and returns ad delivery content for verification purposes. Although it uses POST (possibly for ad impression tracking), its stated purpose is to retrieve/verify what ad would be served, making it primarily a read/query operation. The low severity reflects that misuse would at most generate spurious ad impressions rather than cause data loss or financial harm.

From the tool's own definition: "'Request ad delivery for a zone. Returns the ad(s) that would be served, useful for verifying ad setup.'"

Risk signals: High parameter count (16 properties)

## Use case

AI agents call serve_ad to retrieve information from AdButler without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches AdButler:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "serve_ad": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on AdButler (621)

- `archive_advertiser` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/archive-advertiser.md
- `archive_channel` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/archive-channel.md
- `archive_contract` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/archive-contract.md
- `archive_email_zone` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/archive-email-zone.md
- `archive_publisher` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/archive-publisher.md
- `bulk_upload_remove_data_list` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/bulk-upload-remove-data-list.md
- `bulk_upload_replace_user_db` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/bulk-upload-replace-user-db.md
- `campaign_bulk_delete_catalog_ad_items` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/campaign-bulk-delete-catalog-ad-items.md
- `cancel_signature_request` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/cancel-signature-request.md
- `delete_advertiser` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-advertiser.md
- `delete_archived_campaign` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-archived-campaign.md
- `delete_archived_channel` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-archived-channel.md
- `delete_archived_contract` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-archived-contract.md
- `delete_audience` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-audience.md
- `delete_audio_creative` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-audio-creative.md
- `delete_beacon_signing_key` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-beacon-signing-key.md
- `delete_bidder` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-bidder.md
- `delete_campaign` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-campaign.md
- `delete_campaign_assignment` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-campaign-assignment.md
- `delete_catalog_ad_item` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-catalog-ad-item.md
- `delete_catalog_zone` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-catalog-zone.md
- `delete_channel` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-channel.md
- `delete_channel_zone_assignment` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-channel-zone-assignment.md
- `delete_contact` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-contact.md
- `delete_contract` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-contract.md
- `delete_contract_document` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-contract-document.md
- `delete_contract_payment` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-contract-payment.md
- `delete_contract_template` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-contract-template.md
- `delete_creative` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-creative.md
- `delete_custom_html_ad_item` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler/delete-custom-html-ad-item.md
- …and 591 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/adbutler.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

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Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=adbutler · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/adbutler