What information does Outbrain track about readers?

Where required by your applicable jurisdiction, we will only process your Personal Data if we have a legal basis to do so.

What information is collected?

Generally, we use cookies, pixels and other similar technologies to collect and store Personal Data about users. In particular we might collect and store:

  • UUID (Unique User ID) and other online identifiers

When you, as a User, first visit a Partner Site (e.g., CNN.com), Outbrain drops a cookie on your device in order to generate a UUID. Alternatively, if you first interact with a Partner using that Partner’s application, Outbrain receives your advertiser ID which is assigned to you by your device. We catalogue and analyze the content you consume across Partner Sites. Our recommendations are based on: 

  • a UUIDs browsing history; 
  • similar browsing patterns of other Users; 
  • recommendations that are generally popular with Outbrain’s audience at this time; 
  • some randomness, and 
  • targeting requirements that may be provided or requested by our Amplify clients.

As an example, Outbrain may know that UUID 123 (which could be you on your iPhone X on The Guardian using Chrome as your browser) likes to read about far away holiday destinations and that people who like to read about far away holiday destinations also like to read about exotic food. When you interact with Outbrain we do not collect traditional Personal Data from you, like your email address or name, therefore we cannot associate your name with your UUID (for example, we do not know that John Smith, who is also UUID 123, likes to read about far away holiday destinations).

The UUID is a sequence of numbers and/or letters. This UUID attaches itself to your device and varies depending on your browser combination. In other words, Outbrain records a different UUID depending on which device and/or which browser you use when accessing the Partner Sites. For example, you will have one UUID when you visit a Partner Site from your mobile phone using the browser Safari, and a different UUID when you visit a Partner Site from your iPad using the browser Safari. Outbrain will combine and consolidate a UUID from a mobile device (handheld or tablet) from a browser that then accesses an application (or vice versa) from that same device. Outbrain does not conduct cross device tracking and therefore cannot link a user interacting with Outbrain on their phone as the same user who is interacting with Outbrain on their desktop.

We may also collect an Outbrain DSP (Formerly known as Zemanta) online identifier and advertiser ID which operate similarly to as described above. Please see the Outbrain DSP Privacy Policy here for more information.

  • IP Address

In addition to your UUID, we recognize your IP address, which we translate into non-precise location data and delete the last octet in order to mask the identifying information. We use your IP address, in conjunction with information we received from other trusted third-party partners (such as MaxMind) to determine a broad understanding of where you are located (e.g., New York). Outbrain will still recognize your IP address even if you opt out of personalized tracking as this is necessary to continue serving you context-based recommendations; however, in such instances your IP address is not associated with your UUID and would not form part of any user profile.

  • Other Usage Information

In addition to your UUID and IP address, we also collect the following information from you on:

  • desktop and mobile web:
    • User Agent data: device type (e.g., iPhone), browser type (e.g., chrome), operating system (e.g. iOS); 
    • the pages visited; 
    • the time of visit; and 
    • referring URLs and other information normally transmitted in HTTP requests. 
  • on applications:
    • application version (as it appears in App Store or Play Store); 
    • application ID or package name (as it appears in the App Store or Play Store);
    • operating system ( e.g. IOS or Android); 
    • operating system version; and 
    • device model (e.g. iPhone X).

The above statistical information provides us with information about how many Users visited a specific page on our Partner Sites on which the Outbrain widget is installed, how long each User stayed on that page, the type of content on that page they clicked on and how they generally engaged with that page;

This information is considered personal data if Outbrain associates it with a UUID.

We also use your Personal Data (individual profiles, preferences, characteristics, and behaviors) to make inferences and audience segments (some examples which can be found  here).

As Outbrain does not control the Partner Sites upon which its technology is implemented, Outbrain relies on its partners to provide Users with relevant notices and consent management solutions. Where required by your applicable jurisdiction, we will only process your Personal Data if we have a legal basis to do so. The legal basis will depend on the purposes for which we have collected and use of your Personal Data. In almost every case the legal basis will be one of the following: 

  • Consent: For example, where you have provided your consent via a consent management platform. 
  • Our legitimate business interests: Where it is necessary for us to understand our customers, promote our services and operate effectively, provided in each case that this is done in a legitimate way which does not unduly affect your privacy and other rights. These legitimate interests include the operation of the Outbrain technology.
  • Compliance with law: Where we are subject to a legal obligation and need to use your Personal Data in order to comply with that obligation.

To learn more about the Outbrain privacy practices, please visit our Privacy center. 

You can also find the answer to the most common questions in our Privacy FAQ.To see what information Outbrain might have collected about you, please visit the Outbrain Interest Profile.

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