We have been hearing about TrustPid for several days, the so-called ‘super cookie’ of operators that allows the mobile Internet service provider (ISP) to identify users when they browse the Internet to sell that data to advertisers. Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom officially confirmed that they had started testing it in Germany, but the English operator assured us that it had no intention of carrying out the pilot test in Spain.
The surprise was that, when analyzing the TrustPid API code, Broadband discovered that Movistar and Orange already had the service active in our country. From crast.net Móvil, we asked both companies about TrustPid and now Telefónica has confirmed it: indeed, will participate in the pilot test in Spainalthough they assure that it has not yet started.
Only with those users who accept
TrustPid is a digital advertising technical solution created by Vodafone that works like a cookie but at the service provider (ISP) level. Assign a fixed IP to each client and tracks your browsing habits and preferences. With this data, a commercial profile is created to sell it to advertisers and show personalized advertising to users.
Unlike cookies cannot be rejected from the browser, or block through adblock or IP address masking. You have to disable it from your privacy portal. Vodafone assures, however, that only users who have given their consent participate in the pilot they are carrying out in Germany.
And that is precisely what Movistar has also explained to us, which has recognized that will participate in the TrustPid pilot test in Spain. It has also insisted that TrustPid respects European and Spanish regulations on data protection, and that they will only track users who give their consent:
Telefónica has been working for several years in the field of digital advertising marketing, offering new, more efficient technological solutions for advertisers, content publishers and users. They are solutions that guarantee privacy and transparent use of data of users and that are compatible with a sustainable internet model based on advertising.
Telefónica Spain will participate in this pilot, which has not yet started, as pseudonymized connectivity data provider only from those users who expressly give their consent to share them. It is an innovation pilot that respects the European and national regulations on data processing and privacy.
But, if the pilot has not started yet and if it is only going to be carried out with authorized users, why Movistar and O2 customers are already activated? We have consulted Telefónica and we are waiting for a response. Orange, for its part, has not yet confirmed to us that they will participate in the test, despite the fact that users of its mobile network are also activated and TrustPid speaks of “Orange” on its website.
