Brussels, 15 November 2023: A major breakthrough in digital advertising transparency — EDAA delivers the online advertising industry’s solution to DSA-level transparency requirements under its new “Advanced Advertising Transparency Programme” (AATP).
The European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA) unveiled its new programme under the banner “The New Era of Advertising Transparency” at their annual Summit yesterday.
The AATP was unveiled in front of leaders from across the global advertising industry and beyond – stakeholders comprising industry practitioners, trade associations, and policy makers. The centerpiece of the new programme is the well-recognised and consumer-facing “AdChoices Icon”, a prominent symbol found across online ads. This Icon (
) will leverage a technical standard currently being produced by the IAB Europe and IAB Tech Lab. New information including the identity of the advertiser and the main parameters behind the ad delivery (and, where applicable, how to change them), will be disclosed to all European consumers under the new programme, mirroring the obligations set out in Europe’s landmark Digital Services Act.
The timing of the EDAA’s announcement yesterday comes in advance of the much-anticipated deadline for platforms’ compliance with the new regulation as of 17 February 2024. EDAA is calling on all platforms and their technology providers to get their houses in order with the new industry best practice rules. Although the specifications are still being finalised, there is sufficient clarity in approach for companies to get in front of their obligations and adapt to the requirements which will soon be commonplace in business tenders going forward.
Angela Mills Wade, EDAA Chairwoman and Executive Director of the European Publishers Council, stated: “At this year’s Summit, we unveiled the single most significant development in EDAA’s drive to provide transparency, choice and control in online data-driven advertising, since its inception back in 2012. With EDAA’s experience in the market, its traction, and the serious implications of the Digital Services Act, the new programme – the AATP – is at the forefront of meaningful consumer-focused transparency”.
The programme will be based on the core values of EDAA’s approach: transparency, choice, and control, backed by credible compliance and accountability. EDAA will leverage the best of its approach to-date, whilst innovating its products to apply to a broader community of actors operating at the heart of the digital advertising space, notably platforms and advertising technology vendors.
EDAA’s Programme Development Director, Ionel Naftanaila, emphasised: “This announcement should not be missed – advertisers and agencies should start briefing their supply chain partners to respect and adopt the new rules from February. Ad tech vendors and platforms should consult with the EDAA to determine their respective roles and ensure they don’t fall foul of the incoming standards.”
The message is clear – it’s time to act on transparency.
About EDAA
The European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance EDAA is responsible for the administration of the pan industry self-regulatory programme on Data Driven Advertising, enabling users, through the display of the well recognised “AdChoices Icon”, and consumer choice portal, to access transparency and choice with regard to online data-driven advertising. EDAA sets the bar in creating a better and more transparent user experience and consequently works to improve user trust in the digital advertising ecosystem. EDAA provides technical means for consumers to exercise transparency and control over data-driven advertising through the youronlinechoices.eu online consumer choice site. More information can be found at www.edaa.eu.
About EDAA Summit
The EDAA Annual Summit has become a staple calendar event within the data privacy and advertising technology fields, and is known for provoking honest, open, intellectual and critical debate, covering broad and valued viewpoints.
This year, the “EDAA Summit 2023 – The new era of advertising transparency” took place on the Grand Place of Brussels and brought together a great variety of speakers who covered a broad range of critical issues affecting the online advertising ecosystem, with an eye to the future. Regulators, privacy professionals, companies and association representatives gathered and discussed what the next months will look like, with a particular focus on the EDAA solution and the implications of the DSA for the online advertising ecosystem.
Press Contact
Federica Detomas – Communications Coordinator, EDAA
federica.detomas@edaa.eu
