IAB Introduces the Diligence Platform to Simplify Compliance Across the Digital Advertising Sector

Developed in partnership with SafeGuard Privacy, the Platform Provides a Streamlined, Scalable Solution for Privacy Compliance in the Digital Advertising Industry

As digital advertising enters the realm of regulatory oversight with 19 state privacy laws now enforced and more on the way, the industry faces increasing demands for accountability and transparency. Key among these is the need for thorough due diligence on third-party partners who handle personal data in digital ad transactions.

In response, IAB has launched the IAB Diligence Platform, powered by SafeGuard Privacy, designed to simplify the process of third-party privacy due diligence. This platform is now accessible to the entire digital advertising ecosystem, including brands, agencies, ad tech firms, publishers, and platforms. Drawing from IAB’s comprehensive, industry-specific questionnaires, the platform provides a robust and standardized tool that adapts to evolving privacy regulations, enhanced by SafeGuard Privacy’s detailed U.S. state law assessments.

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“In today’s complex landscape of shifting privacy laws, the IAB Diligence Platform emerges as a critical resource,” said David Cohen, CEO of IAB. “Our goal is to equip the industry with the tools necessary to navigate these changes confidently while maintaining high standards of data privacy. It’s essential to stay ahead of legal obligations by adopting a proactive approach.”

Notable features of the IAB Diligence Platform include:

• Industry-Specific Privacy Questions: Developed by IAB, these questions are tailored to digital advertising data flows and business scenarios, ensuring thorough third-party vetting.
• Efficiency and Scalability: Previously a manual and labor-intensive task, vendor compliance now becomes streamlined as platform users can complete the relevant questionnaires once and share them with current and potential partners, significantly reducing repetitive efforts.
• Comprehensive Compliance: The platform is updated to reflect current state privacy laws, the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act, and industry compliance frameworks like the Multi-State Privacy Agreement (MSPA).

“With state privacy laws increasingly emphasizing accountability, businesses are now required to ensure their partners handle personal data legally, with mandatory audit clauses in contracts,” stated Michael Hahn, EVP, General Counsel at IAB & IAB Tech Lab. “This heightened regulatory focus on due diligence underscores the importance of effective third-party risk management.”

Richy Glassberg, Co-Founder & CEO of SafeGuard Privacy, added, “Our collaboration with IAB has resulted in a powerful compliance tool that not only helps companies meet regulatory standards but also sets a new benchmark for data privacy across the industry. The platform offers a centralized solution for managing diligence efficiently across partnerships, emphasizing the need to start preparations now.”

Support for the platform has been strong, with organizations such as Adform, Hershey, and Raptive playing active roles during its development. Their involvement highlights the collaborative effort behind this industry-wide initiative.

John Piccone, Regional President, Americas, Adform: “The new vendor due diligence requirements present a significant challenge for digital advertising companies with extensive partner networks. This platform simplifies our processes by providing standardized questions and automated compliance updates, ensuring adherence to the latest privacy laws.”

Vinny Rinaldi, Head of Media, U.S. CMG & Salty, Hershey: “The IAB Diligence Platform aids in managing privacy regulations and ensuring our advertising partners maintain high data protection standards. We’re excited to leverage this platform to bolster our compliance initiatives and reinforce our commitment to consumer privacy.”

Paul Bannister, Chief Strategy Officer, Raptive: “By centralizing compliance across multiple partners, the IAB Diligence Platform empowers media companies like Raptive to guarantee that customer data is handled responsibly and in compliance with legal requirements. The platform’s ability to adapt to regulatory changes keeps us proactive.”

The IAB Diligence Platform’s development was first announced at IAB’s Annual Leadership Meeting (ALM) in January 2024. During this event, privacy experts and law firms within the Privacy Implementation and Accountability Task Force (PIAT) collaborated to craft relevant business and privacy questions tailored to various digital advertising scenarios and vendor types.