Security News > 2022 > May > Vodafone plans carrier-level user tracking for targeted ads
Vodafone is piloting a new advertising ID system called TrustPid, which will work as a persistent user tracker at the mobile Internet Service Provider level.
The mobile carrier plans to assign a fixed ID to each customer and associate all user activity with it.
The mobile ISP creates a personal profile based on that ID and helps advertisers serve targeted ads to each customer without disclosing any identification details.
These new models threaten the targeted advertising industry, and according to Vodafone, the danger of this is losing content and platforms currently supported by ads.
"Consumers appreciate the idea of a 'free' Internet, but this comes with a trade-off: publishers need a sustainable revenue model, meaning that it becomes essential to add subscription paywalls or rely on advertising to maintain free access to high-quality content," reads the explanation on the TrustPiD website, managed by Vodafone Sales and Services Limited.
Despite the objections, Vodafone is proceeding with a limited trial of TrustPiD system, and, according to Spiegel, Deutsche Telekom is also planning to test the "Super-cookie."