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Data Privacy

Jeff Green and Andrew Casale discuss the future of identity

On Thursday, July 16, The Trade Desk Co-Founder and CEO, Jeff Green, joined Index Exchange CEO Andrew Casale for Index Exchange’s inaugural IX Open Access webinar. Together, Jeff and Andrew discussed digital advertising’s new normal in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic; the recent surge in connected television; and opportunities for advertisers to apply data to optimize campaigns across all channels.

They also spent time discussing the future of identity. In particular, they focused on the value exchange of the internet, the current debate around cookies, and alternative identity solutions.

Central to the future of identity, they highlighted the role that relevant advertising plays in funding the free content that consumers enjoy on the internet.

“The economics of content and media production aren’t talked about nearly enough,” said Casale. “People don’t always realize that the vast majority of the funding for the vast majority of the content we enjoy comes from ads.”

“When given the choice…when asked if they’d like to see relevant ads or pay $10 a month (for a particular internet service), most consumers want the ads,” added Green. “If you extrapolate that across the internet, without relevant advertising, the quid pro quo doesn’t work.”

As major tech players such as Apple and Google update their own approaches to consumer privacy and relevant advertising, Green took the opportunity to explain how The Trade Desk is approaching this balance.

“There’s an opportunity for the rest of us to put together an upgrade to where today’s cookies are…and prepare for a cookieless future,” he said. “Let’s use this moment to make the internet better.”

Specifically, he outlined The Trade Desk’s work on “an open ID that replaces cookies, upgrades privacy and control for consumers, while preserving relevant advertising.”

Key elements include:

  • A simplified consent framework for publishers – explaining the value exchange of relevant advertising for consumers, and providing greater control for publishers
  • Encrypted identification – a major upgrade over current cookie technology, that will include a hashed and encrypted ID with improved accountability measures. It will also incorporate 3rd party audit controls
  • Granular and understandable consumer controls, with the option to opt-out
  • Single sign on capabilities across the open internet – so consumers don’t have to consent repeatedly
  • Interoperability –this ID will be free and open-sourced

In creating this new identity solution, Green also underscored the importance of federating this approach across the open internet, working with industry leaders such as Index Exchange and the IAB.

“This upgrade requires cooperation,” he said. “We’ll always try to lead because of what’s at stake, but we go into it with a focus on collaboration….we look forward to continuing to develop this with our open internet partners.”

Watch the full webinar here.