IAB Tech Lab launches Trusted Server for publishers

IAB Tech Lab has released an open-source industry solution to shift critical advertising functions away from the browser and into publisher-operated infrastructure - preserving first-party signal, enhancing privacy compliance, and mitigating publisher data leakage to support a more resilient approach to programmatic advertising.

Trusted Server gives publishers control and visibility into how, where, and when their first-party data is shared. Tech Lab states that this facilitates greater privacy controls for users and content owners while reclaiming ad revenue lost from browser restrictions. Key features of Trusted Server include: 

• Server-side ad requests: Eliminates client-side dependencies and mitigates ad-blocking threats
• Prebid server integration: Executes programmatic auctions with existing SSP partners within a controlled publisher environment
• Edge cloud processing: Securely captures and processes data signals while improving page performance
• Server-side ad stitching: Ensures a simple, first-party content experience while maintaining monetisation opportunities
• Faster web pages: Server-side processing reduces page bloat and network calls from the browser, resulting in faster page loads. A quicker site improves user experience and viewability metrics, making it a win-win for publishers and their audiences

“We’re giving power back to the publishers to run their own advertising middle layer, ensuring granular data control and security. This is a line in the sand. Either the digital media ecosystem takes control of its destiny or we watch the open web shrink even further”, explained Anthony Katsur, CEO of IAB Tech Lab. 

He also points out that Trusted Server stands to improve the consumer experience across the open web: “The current way digital advertising runs is bogging down websites with too much third-party JavaScript and network calls, resulting in sluggish sites and a frustrating consumer experience. Moving as much as possible to the server side will lower page weight and eliminate myriad third-party network calls, leading to improved page load times.”

Trusted Server is now open for publisher testing. Find out more here.