TCF 2.0 - A smooth transition?
On August 15, 2020, the time has come - the TCF 2.0 (Transparency and Consent Frameworks) replaces the previous 1.1 version. We explain which features the update brings and which problems can occur when switching.
TCF 2.0 - What's behind it?
The “Transparency & Consent Framework”, TCF for short, was published at the beginning of 2018 by the International Advertising Bureau (IAB), the international industry association for online advertising. The aim was to create a tool that would enable publishers, agencies, AdTech providers and, of course, advertisers to collect and use user data in accordance with GDPR. It is the interface between users, publishers and advertisers via which the respective consents to the use of data are transmitted. With TCF 2.0, the new version of the framework has been available since spring. At the same time, version 1.1 will no longer be officially supported as of August 15 - the switch must therefore come. You can quickly see that it is virtually impossible to do programmatic advertising without looking at the supporters. All big players in the industry, especially Google, have committed themselves to supporting the framework update. If you want to use user data for advertising purposes, there is no way around TCF 2.0.
What new features does the update bring?
TCF 2.0 brings some changes for both users and publishers. Users generally have more control over the use of their data. For example, users can reject certain features such as geolocation or make use of their right of withdrawal. Publishers get more flexibility through a higher number of possible uses. At the same time, however, the purposes can also be restricted individually for providers. An overview of the most important changes:
An overview of all uses is available directly at IAB.
Well prepared? But beware of hidden problems!
The most important point in preparing for the new industry standard is the use of an IAB-certified Consent Management Platform (CMP) with TCF 2.0 support. This is the only way to generate TC strings that are used to transmit user consents. But even with good preparation, you are not prepared for all risks. Some technical vendors have already warned of problems with the final transition to TCF 2.0. For example, users may temporarily not collect or transmit data points correctly. Ongoing and planned campaigns would then also be affected by such a problem, as the required information would simply not be available. A look at the past shows that the warning of problems is not unfounded: Even with the introduction of the GDPR and TCF 1.1, the transmission of data was incorrect for a few days, which is why many advertisers suspended campaigns at short notice.
How can adlicious help?If you want to check your campaign setup before launching TCF 2.0, and would like general assistance with programmatic advertising - our team is here for you: https://www.adlicious.me/de/contact
