IAB Tech Lab Introduces “ID-Less Solutions Guidance” for Public Comment

Resource Offers Practical Frameworks for ID-less Advertising; Open for Feedback Through December 19, 2024

NEW YORK, November 21, 2024 IAB Tech Lab, the global digital advertising technical standards-setting body, announced today the release of its “ID-Less Solutions Guidance” document, now open for public comment until December 19, 2024. This resource is designed to help advertisers and publishers adapt to the growing limitations of traditional identifiers, such as third-party cookies and device-based IDs, by providing clear frameworks and actionable insights.

“We’re entering a new phase where the rules of addressability have fundamentally changed,” said Shailley Singh, Executive Vice President, Product, and COO at IAB Tech Lab. “This guidance provides the clarity and tools needed to make thoughtful, effective decisions in environments where an ID is not available.”

Developed by the Addressability and Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs)  working group, the document tackles widespread confusion surrounding ID-less solutions. It offers clear distinctions between traditional and ID-less approaches, outlines key use cases, and provides a roadmap for stakeholders to evaluate emerging technologies.

Equipping the Industry for What’s Next

The guidance document not only highlights the functional and technical capabilities of ID-less solutions but also frames them in the broader context of privacy and addressability. It’s an essential tool for product managers, advertisers, and publishers navigating this paradigm shift.

“ID-Less is evolving quickly and is often misunderstood as purely contextual,” said Chris Watts, Co-founder and CTO, NumberEight. “This guide explains current and future tools for a variety of use cases across targeting, measurement, and more, helping advertisers and publishers develop robust monetization strategies amid signal loss.”

The “ID-Less Solutions Guidance” represents IAB Tech Lab’s commitment to advancing practical, privacy-conscious solutions for the digital advertising ecosystem. Stakeholders are invited to review the “ID-Less Solutions Guidance” and provide feedback during the public comment period, open until December 19, 2024. 

To access the document and submit comments, please visit https://dev.iabtechlab.com/idless

About IAB Technology Laboratory

Established in 2014, the IAB Technology Laboratory (Tech Lab) is a non-profit consortium that engages a member community globally to develop foundational technology and standards that enable growth and trust in the digital media ecosystem. Comprised of digital publishers, ad technology firms, agencies, marketers, and other member companies, IAB Tech Lab focuses on solutions for brand safety and ad fraud; identity, data, and consumer privacy; ad experiences and measurement; and programmatic effectiveness. Its work includes the OpenRTB real-time bidding protocol, ads.txt anti-fraud specification, Open Measurement SDK for viewability and verification, VAST video specification, and Project Rearc initiative for privacy-centric addressability. Board members/companies are listed at https://dev.iabtechlab.com/about-the-iab-tech-lab/tech-lab-leadership/. For more information, please visit https://dev.iabtechlab.com