The Big Story Ads To Burn After Reading
Jul 17, 2025
Joanna Gerber and Victoria McNally, both Associate Editors at AdExchanger, dive into the significant legal fallout for Healthline over unauthorized use of sensitive health data, resulting in a hefty fine. They tackle the ethical implications of targeted advertising and the challenges of compliance with the CCPA. The discussion touches on the disruptive role of AI in publishing, the evolving frameworks for advertising contracts, and the need for a balance between privacy and monetization in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
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Healthline's CCPA Violations
- Healthline violated CCPA by failing to honor opt-outs and sharing sensitive health data via pixels.
- The case highlights publisher responsibility to ensure consent mechanisms and contracts comply with privacy laws.
Publishers Must Control Trackers
- Publishers must actively manage all trackers and ensure opt-out functionalities work correctly.
- They should have airtight, specific contracts with ad tech vendors to avoid privacy violations.
CCPA Liability Falls On Publishers
- Under CCPA, the publisher (business) is legally responsible for user data and compliance.
- Ad tech vendors may face future enforcement but currently enforcement usually targets the primary business.