The Trade Desk

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.