IAB UK statement on proposed ePrivacy Regulation

“Digital advertising driven by data is the number one funding model for the internet. The vast majority of digital services that we all enjoy on a daily basis, from small start-ups to established players, rely on advertising. The proposal presented today is undoubtedly an improvement on the earlier draft which was leaked in December. That said, there is still a number of areas in the proposal that could not only seriously disrupt people’s browsing experience but effectively put the future of the web as we know at danger, with considerable knock-on effects on media pluralism and digital inclusion.

People’s concerns around data and privacy are real and of great importance to everyone involved in digital advertising. They have to be weighed against the £10 billion worth of income digital advertising generates for publishers and content creators in the UK alone. In the coming months of negotations, the European Parliament and EU Member States must ensure that advertising can continue to power the internet in the important and powerful way it currently does, taking full account of any unintended consequences, and the fact that as an industry we continuously work to give people greater transparency and control over their data through AdChoices and implementing the General Data Protection Regulation.”