Identity In Digital Advertising: It’s Everyone’s Problem

Woman's hand is scanning biometric fingerprint for approval to access smartphone. Concept of the danger of using electronic devices is important.

It’s the question on every digital advertiser’s lips – is the end of the cookie nigh?

Both Apple’s Safari and Mozilla’s Firefox have made the decision to block third-party cookies recently, while Google Chrome appears to be slowly taking steps in following suit.

But according to Rubicon Project VP product management Garrett McGrath, the discussion around cookies is only the tip of a much larger iceberg.

“We’ve begun to use identity as a differentiator, where one method of identification is better than another” he told B&T at the IAB Measure Up conference in Sydney on Tuesday.

“We’ve gotten ourselves into a situation where there’s a lot of questions being asked from a privacy point of view – and they’re totally appropriate questions that should be asked – and I think we’re quickly getting to a point where we need we need to realise we’re beginning to realize that identity should be a community asset.”

Publishers need to be controlling what they’re exposing users to, while end-users should be in control of how they are tracked, McGrath added.

The Rubicon Project is a digital advertising exchange, which last week acquired open-source header bidding solution RTK.IO.

“Our position and my personal position is that identity shouldn’t be a profit centre, it should be something that is community-controlled,” McGrath said.

Cutting through the noise

And while so much has been made of whether the future will be ‘cookieless’ or not, there is still a level of ambiguity around what this will actually look like.

“When we talk about cookieless at this point of time, it basically means Chrome blocks third-party cookies or they don’t,” McGrath clarified.

“Chrome and Google have done some very important things for giving consumers the ability to control [cookies], and they’re continuing to do those things, but is that is the future cookieless? It almost becomes a matter of ‘what does the identity model look like?’

“What are the tools given to consumers for the purpose of identity or personalised advertising.”

Of course, a significant step here has been the implementation of the GDPR by the EU last year.

Consent is now a key pillar in online advertising and users now have more power to control how their data is collected around the internet.

GDRP: Who Wins?

And while regulations such as GDPR have been widely supported across various industries, the changes impact businesses differently.

Polar CEO Kunal Gupta was recently quoted saying, “we may look back in a few years and ask ourselves the question, ‘did Google and Facebook invent GDPR?'”

“Google doesn’t really need GDPR, they have all of the login information and consent that they need,” McGrath said.

“However they have been heavily involved in drafting the IAB Transparency Consent Framework and said publicly they will join the framework once it’s live.”

Google’s approach does not necessarily mean other businesses are directly disadvantaged by GDPR.

“They’re [other companies] disadvantaged by the fact that they don’t have access to that data.

“Everything outside the walled gardens is independent folks trying to interoperate. They don’t have login data and they don’t have the breadth of data that Google or Facebook has.

“The open internet needs standards, tools and regulations to grow, and to be privacy-centric, safe for users and a viable alternative.

“Nobody – I think including Google – wants there to be only Google or only Facebook.”

ACCC report was Australia’s gdpr

From a local standpoint, Australia has previously been somewhat removed from something like GDPR, despite there being global ramification.

But according to Rubicon Project country manager ANZ Rohan Creasey, this year’s ACCC Digital Platforms Inquiry was somewhat a coming of age for the industry.

“I think the ACCC releasing their recommendations is probably going to be seen, when we look back on it, as Australia’s GDPR moment,” he said.

“I think everyone is realising this might come sooner than we think.”

 




Please login with linkedin to comment

Cookies Rubicon Project

Latest News

New BrandStory Format From Bonzai Allows 3x More Ad Space on Mobile
  • Media

New BrandStory Format From Bonzai Allows 3x More Ad Space on Mobile

Creative technology platform Bonzai has announced the launch of BrandStory – a new premium mobile ad format. BrandStory offers triple the ad space and 2.8 times greater time in view than single scroll ad formats, addressing the surging demand from brands worldwide for more real estate to drive real results by seamlessly intertwining awareness, exploration […]

B&T’s Search For Australia’s Greatest Ad Heads To Channel 7
  • Advertising

B&T’s Search For Australia’s Greatest Ad Heads To Channel 7

B&T went through the looking glass this morning, with editor-in-chief David Hovenden (above) appearing on Channel 7’s The Morning Show to get the general public involved in our search for Australia’s Greatest Ad. Hovenden chatted with Kylie Gillies and stand-in host Matt Doran about what makes a great ad and showcasing some of our favourites […]

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Opinion: The Tall Planner’s Kate Smither On The DBA Dilemma
  • Opinion

Opinion: The Tall Planner’s Kate Smither On The DBA Dilemma

The science is not in question – smarter people than I, with far more data, have codified it. The logic is not up for grabs…it makes sense that creating mental shortcuts to your brand keeps you at the top of your mind. Lead image: Kate Smither – Owner, The Tall Planner I wouldn’t even take […]

Opinion

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
African woman using a cellphone in an office alone
  • Marketing

Ortto & Tall Bob Partner To Deliver Better SMS & MMS For Australian & NZ Businesses

Two Australian-born technology providers have joined forces to bring more power and choice to marketers in Australia and New Zealand with mobile messaging that is more local, cost-effective, and integrated. It’s a partnership that sees two Australian software companies come together to deliver a world-class mobile-first solution for marketers building data-driven, personalised, omnichannel campaigns. While […]

Slew Of New Hires At Snap Inc.
  • Media

Slew Of New Hires At Snap Inc.

Snap Inc. has announced a number of new recruits. B&T unaware if it positively impacted SEEK's share price.

Reddit Gets Playful Brand Refresh
  • Technology

Reddit Gets Playful Brand Refresh

This will be of interest to any Reddit fans, graphic designers or lovers of an orange so bright it burns the retinas.

Zitcha & Broadsign Partner To Drive Global In-Store Retail Media Market
  • Advertising

Zitcha & Broadsign Partner To Drive Global In-Store Retail Media Market

Zitcha and Broadsign have teamed up to integrate the Broadsign out-of-home (OOH) advertising platform with Zitcha’s retail media platform. The collaboration empowers retailers to maximise and monetise in-store digital display networks and enables advertising partners to easily view and book available in-store inventory and review campaign performance alongside the retailer’s other media channels. With the […]

Double Rainbouu & 7-Eleven Launch Exclusive Summer Fashion Label
  • Marketing

Double Rainbouu & 7-Eleven Launch Exclusive Summer Fashion Label

Today, 7-Eleven has announced a one-of-a-kind collaboration with the popular Sydney-based anti-resort wear label Double Rainbouu. Dropping tomorrow, December 1, just in time for summer, this limited-edition capsule will infuse the fashion brand’s rebellious spirit with a distinctly iconic 7-Eleven flavour. The unisex collection features five must-have styles comprising two signature Hawaiian shirts, a peaked cap, a bucket hat […]

realestate.com.au Extends Major Partnership With Sydney Swans
  • Marketing

realestate.com.au Extends Major Partnership With Sydney Swans

Australian property site realestate.com.au has announced the extension of its partnership with the Sydney Swans for two further seasons. Lead image: Tom Harley, Owen Wilson and Tom McCartin realestate.com.au has partnered with the Swans since 2016 and has called the back of the club’s iconic guernsey home since becoming a major partner in 2020. This […]

Avenue C Nabs Paula Lopes From KINESSO
  • Marketing

Avenue C Nabs Paula Lopes From KINESSO

Leading independent media agency, Avenue C, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Paula Lopes as Digital Director. Paula, a seasoned professional with over 17 years experience in the media industry, joins Avenue C from her role as Chief Operations Manager of KINESSO (merger of Reprise, Matterkind, and Kinesso specialities).

oOh!Media Fuses People & Performance At National Annual Revenue & Growth Conference
  • Advertising

oOh!Media Fuses People & Performance At National Annual Revenue & Growth Conference

oOh!media brought together more than 260 of its sales, operations, commercial, marketing, finance and leadership teams last week for its national annual revenue and growth conference. Held over two days at the picturesque Rydges Resort in Hunter Valley, the event ‘Fusing people and performance’ focussed on how to build a high-performance mindset and how it […]