IAB Tech Lab releases protocol for private sharing of conversion data

Meet ADMaP. That’s the Attribution Data Matching Protocol just released by IAB Tech Lab for public comment. The protocol is aimed at enabling advertisers and publishers to share and measure conversion data without exposing user-specific information.

The protocol adopts Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) like Private Set Intersection (PSI) and Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs). In short, PSI is a technique for learning about where datasets intersect but learning nothing else about the data, while TEEs are an alternative to data clean rooms, promoting multi-party collaboration.  

Why now? The protocol is launched in an environment where traditional identifiers and traditional attribution techniques are increasingly stressed.

“ADMaP is a game-changer, enabling advertisers and publishers to collaborate safely and accurately determine measurement and attribution, while fully protecting their audience’s privacy. This isn’t just about compliance — it’s about building trust,” said Anthony Katsur, CEO, IAB Tech Lab , in a release. 

What it does. ADMaP uses identity mapping and attribution computation with secure, encrypted, private data handling, to bring exposure data and conversion data together. It’s an attempt to secure measurement for digital advertising in an increasingly uncertain future.

Industry feedback is welcome; deadline November 14, 2024. For more information, go here.

Dig deeper: Why marketers should care about consumer privacy

Why we care. Attribution was a growing problem in this world of multichannel marketing — and that was before third-party cookies were crumbled. Data clean rooms are essentially an enterprise-level offering where publishers and advertisers can safely share user data in a kind of high-tech Switzerland. IAB Tech Lab seems to be reaching beyond that to develop this protocol involving some advanced PETs.

Let’s see if it achieves high adoption.