IAB Global Privacy Platform (GPP)
What does IAB Global Privacy Platform mean?
The IAB Global Privacy Platform (GPP) is a technical specification developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) to standardize how websites, publishers, and advertisers communicate user privacy choices across jurisdictions.
How does the IAB Global Privacy Platform work?
When a user makes consent choices via a consent management platform, those choices are encoded into a standardized GPP string. This string can carry multiple privacy signals—such as GDPR’s Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) or CCPA signals—across the advertising supply chain. Every participant in the ad tech ecosystem reads this string and adjusts its data practices accordingly.
Why is it important?
Without GPP, companies would need to implement separate technical solutions for each jurisdiction, creating complexity and risk. GPP reduces this burden by providing a single, interoperable standard.
FAQs about the IAB Global Privacy Platform
No. The Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) is just one section of GPP that applies to GDPR. GPP is broader and also supports U.S. state laws and other international frameworks.
Yes, if you run programmatic advertising. A consent banner collects choices, but GPP ensures those choices are passed through the entire ad ecosystem in the format vendors require.
Publishers, supply-side platforms, ad exchanges, demand-side platforms, advertisers, and other ad tech vendors rely on the GPP string to honor user privacy preferences.
Not by law, but it is increasingly required by major platforms in order to participate in programmatic advertising. Without it, publishers risk being excluded or flagged for non-compliance with regional privacy frameworks.
It reduces complexity, increases trust, and ensures privacy preferences are respected across multiple regions. It also positions companies to adapt more easily as new privacy laws emerge.