Europe’s digital economy policy – opportunities and threats for online advertising and publishers

Townsend Feehan, CEO, IAB EuropeDigiday Publishing Summit Europe

Europe’s digital economy policy Digiday Publishing Summit Europe

▪The European Commission’s digital priorities as it approaches mid-term▪Data as threat or opportunity - how the “trust narrative” tries to

square the circle▪The specific case of privacy and data protection ▪What European publishers need to do now

Europe’s digital economy policy Digiday Publishing Summit Europe

▪Flood of legislative proposals on digital since 2014▪General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)▪ePrivacy review▪Digital contracts for digital content▪ “Free flow of data” initiative▪Copyright proposal ▪Geo-blocking

▪Championing European media, but…

Europe’s digital economy policy Digiday Publishing Summit Europe

• Tracking is toxic in Brussels right now

• New rules do a poor job of matching regulatory scrutiny to actual consumer risk

Europe’s digital economy policy Digiday Publishing Summit Europe

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was designed to address collection and use of information for OBA.▪Personal data is any information relating directly or indirectly to an

identified or identifiable individual.▪Online, device, and cookie identifiers, especially if used to create

profiles about natural persons, are examples of personal data. ▪Profiling is explicitly subject to the rules of the GDPR, and defined

as the analysis or prediction of behaviour or interests.

Europe’s digital economy policy Digiday Publishing Summit Europe

Which other legislation could impact the OBA business?▪The ePrivacy Directive (“Cookie Directive”) currently under

review.▪Currently it limits online activity to one legal basis: consent.▪Consent under the GDPR will be more complicated.▪Under a future ePrivacy instrument, even consent may not be

enough (the spectre of “forced consent”).

Europe’s digital economy policy Digiday Publishing Summit Europe

What European publishers can do now▪ Assist your national and EU-level industry

associations to help policymakers understand that OBA▪ supports European media independence and

plurality▪ is well regulated under the GDPR, with users

given sufficient transparency and control – no new cookie rules are needed!

Europe’s digital economy policy Digiday Publishing Summit Europe

Key Takeaways:▪New EU data protection rules will come into effect by May 2018▪They entail new obligations for anyone processing a broad

range of “personal data” ▪To help ensure that a future ePrivacy law does not dictate

business models in the online environment, contact your local & EU-level trade bodies and national governments