IAB Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF)
EXADS has implemented this framework to fully support TCF – approved Ad Serving clients and their Publishers.
What is the TCF?
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) runs the Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF) – a collaborative solution for businesses conducting targeted advertising in compliance with GDPR. The purpose of TCF is to standardize how businesses - publishers, ad tech vendors, and agencies – can continue running advertising in a way that is compliant with GDPR. Adhering to the TCF is crucial for Ad Servers, Publishers, and other Ad Tech Vendors looking to be fully compliant with GDPR and keeping up to date with evolving guidance and legislation. The framework provides guidelines for Consent Management Platforms (CMPs) to inform website visitors as to the purposes for which data is being collected, how it will be used, and how visitors can give or withhold their consent.
What is a TC String?
Technically, TCF relies on the Transparency & Consent String (TC String). It contains all the user choices when it comes to accessing or storing information on their device and the use of their personal data as well as the publisher preferences when it comes to vendor use of data. In this way, it serves as a means of communication within the TCF.
The TC String can be communicated either via OpenRTB (e.g. in a bid request) or in the following URL parameters:
- gdpr: contains a flag (0,1) that informs if GDPR & ePrivacy applies.
- gdpr_consent: contains the TC String (base64 string).
What are the legal bases for data usage under TCF?
There are 2 legal bases for which vendors can process data under TCF. These are:
- Consent - The data to be stored and processed requires consent from the data owner.
- Legitimate Interest - Legitimate interest is based on an overriding benefit of using personal data without obtaining consent, such as ensuring fraud prevention and providing flexibility for vendors to operate in different markets under different legal bases.
What purposes are defined with TCF for the processing of user data?
Data can be gathered and processed by vendors for the following purposes as laid out in TCF, and in line with the following allowable lawful bases.
| TCF Purposes | Consent | Legitimate interest |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Store and/or access information on a device. | Yes | N/A |
| 2. Use limited data to select advertising. | Yes | Yes |
| 3. Create a personalized ad profile. | Yes | N/A |
| 4. Select personalized ads. | Yes | N/A |
| 5. Create a personalized content profile. | Yes | N/A |
| 6. Select personalized content. | Yes | N/A |
| 7. Measure ad performance. | Yes | Yes |
| 8. Measure content performance. | Yes | Yes |
| 9. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources . | Yes | Yes |
| 10. Develop and improve products. | Yes | Yes |
| 11. Use limited data to select content. | Yes | Yes |
| TCF Special Purposes | Consent | Legitimate interest |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ensure security, prevent fraud, and debug. | N/A | Yes |
| 2. Deliver and present advertising and content. | N/A | Yes |
| 3. Save and communicate privacy choices. | N/A | Yes |
The TCF purposes that EXADS uses are listed in section 2.5 of its Privacy Policy.
To learn more about these purposes you can read more on IAB Europe’s website.
What does this mean for Ad Servers?
If you are a TCF-approved vendor, when you serve ads using our Ad Server, you know that you are doing so within the remit of this framework. Where user information can be collected for the purpose of serving ads, analytics, or delivering personalized ads, you know that any Publisher integrated with an IAB TCF-approved CMP has captured the relevant consent from their end user to serve those ads via our Ad Server accordingly.
If you haven’t already, you can register to become a TCF - approved Vendor here.
EXADS Ad Server clients can then provide their TCF Vendor ID to their EXADS representative for enablement. Once enabled, TCF-registered CMPs will be able to communicate the relevant consents required for their Publishers’ websites.
What does this mean for Publishers?
Should a Publisher be integrated with an IAB TCF compliant CMP, and as long as your Ad Server has been enabled for the TCF framework, our platform will work out of the box and provide transparency on all the relevant consent needed from the end user to display ads.
To find out whether a third-party CMP provider is TCF compliant or not, you can look into the CMP list provided by IAB Europe.
Benefits of TCF for Ad Servers & Publishers:
- Ability to fully comply with GDPR laws.
- Transparency for Publishers and their end users regarding what cookies are used by their Ad Server for ad serving and analytics.
- Better collaboration with data protection bodies and vendors.
- Facilitates integration with TCF Approved Consent Management Platforms for Publishers.