How Europe’s New Digital Privacy Act Will Change Big Tech Regulation
The European Union’s (EU) Digital Services Act (DSA) recently came into effect, marking a significant development in tech privacy regulations. The DSA is regarded as one of the toughest sets of regulations globally and is distinct from the previous Digital Markets Act, which focused on antitrust reform. The DSA primarily aims to protect individual user privacy and prevent the spread of harmful content and misinformation online.
The Chrome Privacy Sandbox APIs are Fully Available – But How Will Users React?
Google has announced the general availability of targeting and measurement APIs within the Chrome Privacy Sandbox for the majority of Chrome users. These APIs, which will reach 100% of users in the coming months, are considered stable, with no significant changes expected before third-party cookies are deprecated. Google will introduce a mechanism to simulate third-party-cookieless traffic next quarter and deactivate third-party cookies for 1% of randomly selected Chrome users in Q1 2024. Unless the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority intervenes, third-party cookies in Chrome are set to phase out entirely by the second half of 2024. However, consumer skepticism remains regarding the Privacy Sandbox, with many looking for ways to disable its features or opt out.
Publisher Adoption for New Video Ad Specs Lags 6 Months After Introduction
New video ad classifications introduced by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Tech Lab to enhance transparency in digital video buying have struggled to gain traction among publishers due to various factors. The IAB Tech Lab revised the taxonomy in March after concerns that the original guidelines could impact publisher and vendor revenues. However, adoption of the new classifications remains slow due to reasons such as lack of financial incentives, a firm deadline, and support from supply-side platforms (SSPs). A lack of clarity on who is responsible for enforcing the standards has also hindered adoption, with SSPs and publishers waiting for each other to embrace the standards. While publishers recognize the value of the updated classifications, concerns about potential revenue drops and disparities in CPMs have deterred many from implementing the new protocol.