Significant changes to the online ad-industry landscape
A significant ruling in February has entirely changed the advertising landscape in Europe for those who run advertising systems that rely on tracking the use of individuals across different websites and use behavioral patterns, interests, and other factors for advertising.
The ruling, which covers the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) consent system, used by more than 3,000 partners worldwide, and the transfer of Google Analytics data from Europe to the United States for processing and storage.
The ruling influences how Google, Microsoft, Amazon, IAB, and thousands of other companies conduct their business in Europe and how they track, manage, and store data they gather on users.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) calls the IAB ruling the most significant leak of personal information ever recorded. Currently, they can not guarantee how the detailed personal information is stored, where it is processed, or if third parties acquire the data for further processing.
The verdict is unequivocal: The advertising world MUST NOT use users’ personal information unless the user provides explicit consent for the use and the processor can guarantee the security of the data.
For those of us that value our online privacy, this is good news. Let’s hope the industry continues to build on that.
Full disclosure
This article is written by Airserve CEO. Airserve is your one-stop-shop for ad serving with respect for your user’s privacy.
