What is the GDPR, and why should martech care?

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Privacy is a complex issue, and opinions on the subject often depend on the perspective it is viewed from. I’m a passionate privacy officer, and among my peers, the conversation tends to focus on privacy regulations. But as the company I work for provides technology to the digital advertising community, I live with one foot in in the marketing world, too.

While martech is booming, the ad hoc growth of the industry — sliced and diced by countless intermediaries from demand-side platforms to ad exchanges, all performing specific technical functions — has created a lack of transparency.

The industry is already subject to suspicion from consumers for using mysterious and magical technologies that enable advertisers to serve them relevant advertising for products they are looking for, at precisely the right time. While the public may be wary of practices they do not understand, they do enjoy the benefit martech creates: the ability to freely roam the internet without continually clashing into digital paywalls.

In addition to public suspicion, the fragmented race to serve relevant ads to the right audience has also caught the attention of data protection authorities. This is reflected in the EU’s massive General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which comes into effect on May 25, 2018.

[Read the full article on MarTech Today.]


Some opinions expressed in this article may be those of a guest author and not necessarily Marketing Land. Staff authors are listed here.


About The Author

As Chief Privacy Officer & VP of Legal Affairs at Evidon Inc., Todd Ruback oversees all internal privacy and legal matters. He has developed the company’s privacy training program, privacy by design initiative and also oversees the company’s legal department. He works with many privacy regulatory bodies and thought leaders to ensure the company’s products and services exceed expectations. His privacy certifications include CIPP-US/E, CIPT. Prior to coming to Evidon in 2012 he headed the Privacy & Technology Practice at the law firm of DiFrancesco, Bateman in Warren, NJ and was the President of the New Jersey Bar Association’s Privacy Section.


 

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