Home Ad Exchange News Sovrn Snaps Up VigLink; Google Gives Consent

Sovrn Snaps Up VigLink; Google Gives Consent

SHARE:

Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign up here.

We’ll Do It For You

Sovrn will acquire VigLink, a company that helps independent publishers by auto-inserting referral links into article pages, Mediapost reports. It’s the first purchase for Sovrn since the company announced a $25 million funding round in October and signalled plans to expand beyond ad tech. “Our business is 100% focused on tools and technologies that help publishers – of which advertising is an important one,” Sovrn CEO Walter Knapp told AdExchanger in October. “Advertising is already becoming a decreasing part of our business. And that’s intentional.” He said less than 60% of revenue comes from Sovrn’s exchange. More.

Google Gives Consent

Google, publishers and ad tech companies are finally making progress in coordinating their approaches to collecting consent and using that consent for online advertising. Back in May, Google said that by September it would integrate its GDPR consent technology with the IAB Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF), but it struggled to keep that promise. In meetings last week, Google and other industry stakeholders came closer to a compromise, agreeing on 12 different purposes that user data can be used for in advertising, including a feature specifically for location data, Digiday reports. “Google used to be absent or very disengaged. Now they are one of the most active participants,” according to one participant. Google said it remains committed to integrating its GDPR consent policy with the TCF. More.

The Facebook Floodgates

Facebook is still struggling to control the flow of user data from its platform. A bug exposed the private photos of up to 6.8 million users to 1,500 developers on its platform between Sept. 13 and 25, The New York Times reports. Facebook identified the issue on Sept. 25 but didn’t notify European officials until November, prompting an investigation into whether Facebook violated a 2011 consent decree and/or GDPR, which gives companies 72 hours to disclose an incident. The Irish Data Protection Commission has opened an inquiry. More. In other Facebook news: Facebook is talking to pay-TV channels like HBO, Starz and Showtime about potential distribution deals on its properties, including Watch and its OTT apps. Read that.

But Wait, There’s More!

Must Read

Scott Spencer’s New Startup Wants To Help Users Monetize Their Online Advertising Data

What happens when an ad tech developer partners with a cybersecurity expert to start a new company? You end up with a consumer product that is both a privacy software service and a programmatic advertising ID.

Former FTC commissioner Alvaro Bedoya speaks to AdExchanger Managing Editor Allison Schiff at Programmatic IO NY 2025.

Advertisers Probably Shouldn’t Target Teens At All, Cautions Former FTC Commissioner

Alvaro Bedoya shared his qualms with digital advertising’s more controversial targeting tactics and how kids use gen AI and social media.

Wall Street Turned Against Ad Tech – But May Learn To Love It Again

What can pureplay ad tech companies do to clean up their rep on the Street?

Privacy! Commerce! Connected TV! Read all about it. Subscribe to AdExchanger Newsletters

AppsFlyer and Roku’s New SRN Integration Will Shed Light On CTV Campaign Impact

Roku and AppsFlyer announced the launch of a new self-reporting network (SRN) integration between both companies, which will allow mobile app advertisers to more effectively measure their streaming video campaigns

Comic: Gamechanger (Google lost the DOJ's search antitrust case)

DOJ v. Google: How Judge Brinkema Seems To Be Thinking After Week One

Where the DOJ v. Google ad tech antitrust trial stands after one week’s worth of remedies arguments.

Swish, A Company That's Bringing Programmatic to Product Sampling, Announces Seed Funding

Swish, a startup that partners with retailers to provide product full-size CPG samples to people doing their grocery shopping online, announces $2.3 million in seed funding.