Universal IDs Offer Shared User Identification Without Cookies
· 2h ago · Originally reported by PPC Land
Universal IDs are shared, pseudonymous identifiers that allow publishers and ad tech platforms to recognize users without relying on traditional cookie syncing. These IDs are often created by hashing emails and can be accessed by various parties in the ad ecosystem.
Why it matters
Universal IDs are important because they help the digital advertising industry adapt to privacy changes and the decline of third-party cookies, enabling continued targeting and measurement.
Explain it like I’m new here
It's like giving everyone a secret code name so different websites can recognize you without knowing your real name.
Terms in this story
Hashed email
A hashed email is an email address transformed by a one-way cryptographic function, usually SHA-256, into a fixed string used to match users across systems without sharing the plain address.
Publisher
A publisher is any owner of content or a digital property, such as a website, app, streaming service, podcast or screen network, that earns money by selling ad space to advertisers.
SSP (supply-side platform)
An SSP (supply-side platform) is software that publishers use to sell their ad inventory automatically to many buyers, running auctions and managing prices, deals and quality controls.
DSP (demand-side platform)
A DSP (demand-side platform) is software that advertisers and agencies use to buy ad impressions automatically across many exchanges and publishers, deciding which impressions to bid on and how much.
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