Irish civil liberties group accuses digital ad industry of major data breach

Real time bidding is the process by which an individual is targeted with specific advertising while browsing online, with those ads tailored to the person specifically using a profile that has been created by virtue of their browsing habits and history.

An Irish civil liberties group has launched a European legal action against the manner in which online advertising and personal data gathering functions.

The suit has been taken against the American-based Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the preeminent representative organisation for online advertisers globally, which counts Facebook and Google among its members, and other online advertising vendors.