New Open Standard Enables Secure, First-Party Data Matching Through Interoperability Between Data Clean Rooms; Open for Public Comment Until October 25, 2024

IAB Tech Lab, the global digital advertising technical standards-setting body, has announced the launch of the PAIR (Publisher Advertiser Identity Reconciliation) protocol. This new protocol offers a privacy-centric approach for advertisers and publishers to match and activate their first-party audiences for advertising use cases without relying on third-party cookies.

Development and Features of PAIR

Originally donated to IAB Tech Lab by Google, the PAIR protocol has been developed by the Rearc Addressability and Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) working group into an open standard. This allows interoperability between data clean rooms and enables all Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) to adopt the protocol for enhanced privacy-safe audience targeting.

To support this effort, IAB Tech Lab will update the PAIR prebid module for use by all data clean rooms and DSPs. Additionally, an open-source reference implementation will be published to assist with adoption by publishers. The PAIR protocol is now open for public comment until October 25, 2024.

Industry Impact

"Privacy-enhancing technologies are providing a path to unlocking first-party data in secure and privacy-centric approaches for both advertisers and publishers," stated Shailley Singh, EVP of Product and COO at IAB Tech Lab. "PAIR is designed as an open standard to help advertisers and publishers choose their preferred data clean room and DSP partners. It's an important step forward for privacy-first advertising while allowing effective audience targeting and monetization for publishers without data leakage."

The PAIR protocol utilizes advanced cryptographic methods to facilitate the secure matching of multiple-encrypted keys without exposing personal information. This empowers advertisers to activate matched audiences and engage potential customers who have interacted with their brands. Meanwhile, publishers can enhance revenue opportunities by leveraging authenticated users while protecting against data leakage.

Foundation for Interoperability

"PAIR is about making privacy-first data matching and activation work in the real world," remarked Bosko Milekic, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Optable. "Previously, this was only achievable with advertisers and publishers using the same clean room vendor, but open PAIR enables this across vendors. This establishes PAIR as a foundational standard for a thriving and interoperable data collaboration ecosystem."

As the industry shifts towards privacy-safe solutions, IAB Tech Lab will continue to play a pivotal role in establishing addressability standards that help advertisers and publishers adapt and thrive in this evolving landscape.