DSA transparency in the EU bid stream

Who paid for this ad? In the EU, users must be told.

The Digital Services Act, or DSA, requires it. An OpenRTB extension carries the answer.

Since February twenty twenty-four, Article twenty-six says online platforms must show users, in real time, that it’s an ad, on whose behalf, who paid, and the main targeting parameters. But programmatic pages don’t know the advertiser until the ad arrives. So the extension adds a DSA object both ways. The request says DSA required. Value two means no DSA info, no bid. The response fills in behalf and paid, say, Acme Shoes, plus parameters like profiling. Flags on each side say who displays the notice. Someone must.

Whether your site counts as an online platform is a legal question. Ask your lawyer, then ask your SSP what it sends.

Next: the IAB spiders and bots list.