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Adobe Real-Time CDP

Adobe Real-Time CDP

Adobe Real-Time CDP is a customer data platform merging website visitor data with offline sources for unified profiles. Scripts collect browsing behavior, commerce events, and identity signals, streaming data to Adobe's edge network for segmentation. Sets cookies for cross-session visitor stitching.

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Overview

Adobe Real-Time CDP merges website visitor data with offline and cross-channel data sources to build unified customer profiles that update in real time. It serves as the central audience engine for enterprises using Adobe Experience Cloud, enabling marketing teams to create segments that activate across advertising, email, and personalization channels. On websites, it is typically deployed via the Adobe Experience Platform Web SDK.

What This Script Does

Adobe Real-Time CDP relies on the Adobe Experience Platform Web SDK (alloy.js) for client-side data collection. The SDK streams events to Adobe's Edge Network, where Real-Time CDP processes them into unified profiles.

Key cookies set:

  • kndctr_[orgID]_AdobeOrg_identity — stores the Adobe Experience Cloud ID (ECID) for visitor identification. Persists for 34 months.
  • kndctr_[orgID]_AdobeOrg_consent — records the visitor's consent status as communicated through the SDK. Persists for 13 months.
  • kndctr_[orgID]_AdobeOrg_cluster — identifies the Edge Network cluster serving the visitor for consistent routing. 30-minute expiry.
  • AMCV_[orgID]@AdobeOrg — the legacy Experience Cloud visitor ID, present when the Visitor ID Service is also loaded. 2-year expiry.

The SDK contacts edge.adobedc.net and sends event data including page views, commerce interactions (product views, cart additions, purchases), form submissions, and custom events defined by the site operator. Identity signals such as email hashes, CRM IDs, and login states are also captured when configured, enabling profile stitching across devices and channels.

Real-Time CDP processes this data server-side to merge anonymous visitor profiles with known customer records from CRM, POS, and other offline sources. Segments built in the CDP activate to destinations including Google Ads, Meta, The Trade Desk, and Adobe's own personalization and email tools.

Consent & Compliance

Adobe Real-Time CDP spans both analytics and marketing categories. It collects behavioral data for analysis (analytics) and activates audience segments to advertising and personalization platforms (marketing).

Under the GDPR, Real-Time CDP processes personal data extensively — pseudonymous IDs, behavioral profiles, and potentially directly identifiable information like hashed emails and CRM IDs. The cross-channel profile stitching and activation to advertising platforms constitute data processing that requires explicit consent as the lawful basis.

The ePrivacy Directive requires consent for the identification cookies set by the Web SDK. The kndctr_*_identity cookie (34-month expiry) used for persistent visitor identification is clearly non-essential.

Under CCPA/CPRA, the unified profiles and audience activation to third-party advertising platforms likely constitute "sharing" of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising, triggering opt-out requirements. The breadth of data merged into profiles (online behavior, offline transactions, CRM data) amplifies the compliance obligations.

Should You Block This Without Consent?

Yes. Adobe Real-Time CDP collects behavioral data, builds cross-channel customer profiles, and activates audiences to advertising platforms. Its data collection scripts and cookies are not essential to website functionality and require consent under GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive.

Is Adobe Real-Time CDP GDPR compliant?

Adobe Real-Time CDP typically loads marketing and analytics trackers, which are not strictly necessary for your site to work. Under the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive, non-essential cookies and trackers must stay blocked until a visitor gives clear opt-in consent. So Adobe Real-Time CDP can be fully GDPR compliant, but only if your site holds its scripts until consent is granted and lets visitors decline just as easily. Compliance depends on how your site loads Adobe Real-Time CDP, not on Adobe Real-Time CDP itself.

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Consent Categories

MarketingAnalytics

Also Known As

Adobe CDPAdobe customer data platformAdobe RTCDPAdobe audience activationAdobe Experience Platform CDP

Industries

Programming and Developer SoftwareComputers Electronics and Technology

Frequently Asked Questions

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