How ‘Identifiers’ Enable a Better Ad Experience for Consumers & Provide Access to Controls

There are several types of datasets that brands, and their advertising partners, use to identify a consumer on a device, browser, site or app in order to deliver a relevant ad that might be of interest at that particular point in time—as well as gain ad-campaign insights. Consumers benefit when advertisers use such identifiers to support the delivery of interest-based advertising, as it finances consumer access to online content and services. When connected to an ad marker — such as the ‘AdChoices’ icon — identifiers also can provide real-time, immediate access to data collection notice and controls, so consumers can have greater trust in these identifiers and how they are applied.

Learn About the Types of Identifiers Supported by the YourAdChoices Tools for Consumers

Identifiers used to reach consumers are clustered at the household and individual level based on their “deterministic” and “probabilistic” associations to one another.

Several identifiers are based on individual IDs that are device-specific such as cookies, mobile ad IDs, or hashed email addresses or phone number. They generally are considered deterministic, but may be probabilistic if they are dated or otherwise need additional corroboration.

Each of the following identifiers are subject to privacy protections according to industry self-regulatory practices and the Digital Advertising Alliance’s Principles — and may be controlled by the consumer using available industry choice tools, such as YourAdChoices and Network Advertising Initiative.

  • A traditional identifier typically used by a first party (brand, publisher or advertiser) or a third party (ad network or tech company) and associated with an individual or household device or browser. Consumers can use DAA’s WebChoices tool to control the use of cookies used for interest-based advertising.

  • Also referred to as a token ID — as the email or phone number is used as a “token” proxy for a consumer. It is a pseudonymized, authenticated identifier that does not allow an entity to infer, discover, or otherwise identify the individual associated with the ID. Consumers can use DAA’s YourAdChoices tool to control the use of a hashed email or phone number collected and used for interest-based advertising.

  • An ID associated with a mobile device (typically at an individual level). Consumers can download the DAA’s AppChoices tool to control the collection and use of mobile ad IDs for interest-based advertising.

  • DAA’s WebChoices tool helps to control cookies that are either deterministic or probabilistic in nature, depending on the underlying data sources used for addressing consumers online via a browser.

Deterministic

Deterministic identifiers have a high likelihood that a particular device is associated with a household or individual based on CTV and IP IDs, logins, cookies, email addresses, and other types of data.

Probabilistic

Probabilistic identifiers may indicate a likelihood of user identity based on some measure and magnitude — such as a solid, educated guess —based on available data sources.

YourAdChoices Tools for Consumers

Consumers have the ability to control the use of identifiers on every device and browser they use. These choices are an inherent part of the Digital Advertising Alliance’s (DAA) Principles which are used by the U.S. digital advertising industry to collect data responsibly for advertising purposes while providing consumers with privacy protections.

YourAdChoices Tool, Using Email or Mobile Number as an Identifier Token

Consumers can send their identifier — such as an email address or mobile number — to participating companies to opt out/revoke its use for interest-based advertising and other applicable uses under the DAA Principles for digital advertising. Consumers can opt out of some or all listed companies.

AppChoices Tool

Consumers can also download the free AppChoices app for control over how information about their interests are used for in-app advertising on their mobile device.

Available for iOS and Android.

WebChoices Tool

Whether consumers want to exercise control on their desktop or mobile browser, the WebChoices tool helps them make choices for a broad array of companies.

The Benefits of Relevant Advertising

Relevant advertising is a form of digital advertising that is also referred to as interest-based or behavioral advertising (IBA). Data-focused advertisers rely on various technologies to help identify consumers based on their specific interests or a household-connected device in order to facilitate the delivery of an ad to the right person at the right time.

It is this type of advertising that supports free and subsidized content and services relied upon by nearly all consumers, small- and mid-sized businesses, non-profit organizations, and nearly every enterprise online. A recent study shows that data-driven advertising helps finance online access to content and services worth $30,000 a year to consumers.