EU-DSGVO ante portas: What advertisers should keep in mind when it comes to adtech
User consent is one of the central concepts of the new General Data Protection Regulation. Ekaterina Tyurina, Digital Advertising Expert and Business Development Director DACH of the Programmatic Platform Tradelab, talks about this topic, which even makes long-time adtech experts and agencies sweat.
The fact that the General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) will come into force on May 25, 2018 and that preparations must be made in companies has been on everyone's lips for weeks. The most important points of the GDPR as well as the upcoming changes regarding data protection, which the regulation brings with it, should have been understood and registered by now. On the central concept of user consent, Ekaterina Tyurina from Tradelab in the following interview and recalls in which respects the EU GDPR has an impact on digital marketing and adtech.
What length of time do you recommend ad tech players conserve personal data collected on behalf of advertisers?
Ekaterina Tyurina: The law does not prescribe a period of time, but nevertheless enforces that the storage of personal data must be limited to a strict minimum, with respect to the data processing intentions defined by the company. In short, in fact, each company itself must take the responsibility to define and justify the period of data processing. I am in favor of an automatic data erasure routine. In our company, Tradelab, we limit data preservation to six months.
Are you afraid that many users do not want to disclose their personal data and thus do not give consent to data processing?
It's our job to be transparent and, accordingly, honest with users. We must give them the opportunity to choose the data they share. Ever heard of the term "sensitive data"? That's personal data that needs to be protected even more than others. This includes religious and political views, sexual orientation, or health. These characteristics can lead to social discrimination. The GDPR introduces such differentiation between sensitive data and personal data, which could be an opportunity to protect users' privacy without degrading the user experience. So, personally, I'm not afraid of opt-outs. I'm much more confident that a balance will be struck between users and advertisers.
Digital advertising without cookies or data processing: Is it possible?
Yes, it is possible. However, the quality of advertising and the level of personalization are much lower. An alternative that does not collect user IDs is the "DoubleClick for Publishers" initiative. In this case, however, the user is shown advertising that no longer has much to do with his personal interest. Conclusion: Without cookies, the user experience is damaged.
Is the GDPR useful or harmful for the digital world?
I definitely feel it is important. The digital area is regulated EU-wide, especially with regard to data protection, and you no longer have to think back and forth between different national regulations. The rules of the game for the digital sphere are now uniform and clear, and everyone has to make the best of it.
Do you have one last tip before the General Data Protection Regulation comes into force?
The most important thing as a digital advertising player is to be transparent with the user. Privacy must be respected, but I believe that many Internet users will give their consent to the processing of personal data if you are honest and explain to them what the data will be used for. It is also important to let them know that their consent can be revoked at any time. If you act transparently at this point, it may well lead to digital advertising acceptance on the part of the user.
