TechCrunch: Google and IAB adtech targeted with more RTB privacy complaints – TechCrunch
Business Insider: Google, adtech firms targets of fresh EU privacy complaints
Euronews: What is 'real-time bidding' and how does it affect the adverts we see?
Reuters: Google, adtech firms hit with fresh EU privacy complaints
The new privacy complaints come on top of those lodged in 15 other EU countries over 2018 and 2019, which called for immediate investigations into real-time bidding systems, and to enforce EU data protection laws.
Real-time bidding systems involve sharing a person’s sensitive data without their consent, which might include personal browsing history such as their sexual preferences or their recent locations, with hundreds if not thousands of companies online. Companies then bid for that advertising space. The highest bid gets to place their advert in front of that person’s eyes.
This action has been coordinated by a consortium made up of the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties), Open Rights Group (ORG) and Panoptykon Foundation.