Does The Trade Desk require visitor consent under GDPR?

Yes. The Trade Desk Universal Pixel sets third-party cookies on adsrvr.org and builds cross-publisher behavioral profiles for programmatic advertising. Dutch and Belgian DPAs have ruled this type of infrastructure violates GDPR without valid consent. IAB TCF Vendor ID: 21.

What cookies does The Trade Desk set?

The Trade Desk sets TDID (1-year cross-site identifier on adsrvr.org), TDCPM (1-year cookie sync timestamp), TTDOptOut (5-year opt-out record), and TTDOptOutOfDataSale (5-year CCPA opt-out). Scripts load from js.adsrvr.org; conversion beacons fire to pixel.adsrvr.org.

How does ConsentStack detect The Trade Desk?

ConsentStack detects The Trade Desk via its Universal Pixel loader from js.adsrvr.org and classifies it as marketing. The pixel is blocked until the visitor accepts marketing cookies, preventing third-party cookie placement and cross-site identity graph contributions before opt-in.

What tracker domains does The Trade Desk use?

ConsentStack has catalogued tracker domains for The Trade Desk including adsrvr.org. These are the network destinations The Trade Desk's scripts contact, which a consent platform blocks until a visitor agrees.

The Trade Desk - Programmatic Ad Consent & Privacy

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Overview

The Trade Desk is one of the largest independent demand-side platforms (DSPs) in programmatic advertising. Advertisers use The Trade Desk's platform to buy display, video, native, audio, and connected TV inventory in real time. Its Universal Pixel and event tags fire on advertiser websites to measure conversion attribution, build retargeting audiences, and supply data to The Trade Desk's identity graph (Unified ID 2.0).

What This Script Does

Universal Pixel

The Trade Desk Universal Pixel is a JavaScript tag that loads js.adsrvr.org/up_loader.1.1.0.js. On page load, it fires an impression beacon to The Trade Desk's bid-winning servers, registers the page visit against a UID2 or hashed email token when available, and sets a third-party tracking cookie.

Event Tags

Advertisers configure named events (e.g., purchase, add_to_cart, lead) which fire additional beacons when triggered. Each beacon carries the event name, revenue value, and item IDs. These events are matched against served impressions to calculate return on ad spend.

Cookies Set

TDID — Third-party persistent cookie on adsrvr.org. The Trade Desk's core identity cookie. Stores the user's Trade Desk identifier for cross-site tracking and frequency capping. Duration: 1 year.
TDCPM — Third-party persistent cookie on adsrvr.org. Records the last cookie sync timestamp with partner data platforms. Duration: 1 year.
TTDOptOut — Third-party persistent cookie on adsrvr.org. Set when a user opts out via The Trade Desk's opt-out page. Duration: 5 years.
TTDOptOutOfDataSale — Third-party persistent cookie on adsrvr.org. Set when a user exercises CCPA opt-out rights. Duration: 5 years.

Domains Contacted

js.adsrvr.org — Serves the Universal Pixel JavaScript library.
match.adsrvr.org — Cookie sync endpoint that matches The Trade Desk identifiers with partner DSP and DMP identifiers.
pixel.adsrvr.org — Pixel endpoint for conversion event beacons.
insight.adsrvr.org — Audience segment and measurement data endpoint.

Data Collected Per Interaction

Page URL and full referrer chain
The Trade Desk identifier (TDID cookie value)
Hashed email or Unified ID 2.0 token when provided by the advertiser
Device type, OS, and browser derived from user-agent
IP address for geolocation
Conversion event name, revenue, and product identifiers
Timestamp of each pixel fire
Cookie sync matches with partner platforms (DoubleVerify, LiveRamp, etc.)

Unified ID 2.0 (UID2)

The Trade Desk operates UID2, an open-source identity framework based on hashed and encrypted email addresses. When enabled, the Universal Pixel can read a UID2 token from the publisher's first-party data layer and contribute it to The Trade Desk's cross-publisher identity graph, enabling targeting without third-party cookies.

Consent & Compliance

GDPR / ePrivacy: The Trade Desk's Universal Pixel sets third-party cookies and builds cross-site behavioral profiles — a purpose requiring explicit consent under both the ePrivacy Directive and GDPR Article 6. The Dutch DPA and Belgian DPA have both issued findings that programmatic advertising infrastructure of this type violates GDPR when deployed without valid consent. The Trade Desk participates in the IAB TCF as a registered vendor (Vendor ID 21).

CCPA / CPRA: The Trade Desk processes and shares consumer data across its DSP network in ways that qualify as a "sale" and "sharing" under CPRA. Advertisers using The Trade Desk pixel must disclose it in their privacy notice and support Do Not Sell or Share.

EU-US Data Privacy Framework: The Trade Desk is certified under the EU-US DPF for EU-to-US personal data transfers.

IAB TCF Purposes: Purpose 1 (Store and/or access information on a device), Purpose 2 (Use limited data to select advertising), Purpose 3 (Create a personalised ads profile), Purpose 4 (Select personalised ads), Purpose 7 (Measure ad performance), Purpose 9 (Apply market research to generate audience insights).

Should You Block This Without Consent?

Yes. The Trade Desk Universal Pixel sets third-party tracking cookies and contributes to a cross-publisher identity graph for commercial advertising. This is one of the most consent-sensitive script types on the web. It must not fire until the user has given explicit prior consent to marketing and advertising cookies.

Is The Trade Desk GDPR compliant?

The Trade Desk typically loads marketing 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 The Trade Desk 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 The Trade Desk, not on The Trade Desk itself.

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Consent Categories

Marketing

Also Known As

The Trade DeskTTDUniversal PixelUID 2.0programmatic advertisingdemand-side platformDSP cookies

Industries

Computers Electronics and Technology

Tracked Domains (1)

The Trade Desk's trackers are very common, seen on about 19% of the sites ConsentStack has scanned. Scan your own site to see which of these are firing before consent.

adsrvr.orgMarketing

adsrvr.org is a marketing domain operated by The Trade Desk, used to serve ads, build audiences, and measure ad conversions. Seen on about 19% of scanned sites.