IAB Tech Lab's Data Deletion Request Framework (DDRF) Endorsed by the UK Information Commissioner's Office

Regulator Highlights Value of Industry Standard for Processing Deletion
Requests Across the Ad Supply Chain; DDRF Updates to Follow

NEW YORK, July 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- IAB Tech Lab, the global digital advertising technical standards-setting body, today announced its Data Deletion Request Framework (DDRF) has been formally recognized by the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in its newly published Online Tracking Strategy Update. Building on this momentum, IAB Tech Lab will release updates to the DDRF for public comment this summer.

"This is an important moment for accountability and interoperability," said Anthony Katsur, CEO, IAB Tech Lab. "The ICO's feedback affirms that industry-led technical standards like the DDRF can play a major role in meeting regulator expectations and delivering on consumer rights at scale."

The DDRF standardizes the transmission of deletion requests across the digital advertising ecosystem. It enables companies to efficiently communicate consumer-initiated data erasure requests across internal systems and external supply chain partners, thereby reducing manual effort and enhancing operational accountability.

IAB Tech Lab has worked closely with regulators to demonstrate how the DDRF supports data protection compliance. In the ICO's July 2025 Online tracking strategy update, they state, "Since January, we've engaged with the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Tech Lab on its Data Deletion Request Framework. We believe that the specification could improve how deletion and withdrawal requests are handled by third-party organisations that facilitate the delivery of digital ads and encourage their implementation."

The updates, scheduled for release later this summer, will be made available for public comment and will focus on enhancing efficiency, providing security recommendations, and clarifying error reporting and request formatting.

"By reducing fragmentation and enabling more consistent handling of deletion requests, the DDRF helps the ad ecosystem move from policy to execution," added Rowena Lam, Senior Director of Privacy and Data, IAB Tech Lab. "We're looking forward to rolling out updates later this summer, with further technical refinements that reflect ongoing regulator input and real-world implementation feedback."

As enforcement of data deletion provisions ramps up globally, the DDRF offers scalable support for companies aiming to implement these obligations with confidence and consistency. IAB Tech Lab will launch an updated version of the DDRF later this summer, reflecting technical refinements based on implementer feedback and regulator input.

Stakeholders interested in contributing to the next version should follow IAB Tech Lab's DDRF page and IAB Tech Lab on LinkedIn to stay informed about the upcoming public comment release.

About IAB Technology Laboratory
Established in 2014, the IAB Technology Laboratory (Tech Lab) is a non-profit consortium that engages a member community globally to develop foundational technology and standards that enable growth and trust in the digital media ecosystem. Comprised of digital publishers, ad technology firms, agencies, marketers, and other member companies, IAB Tech Lab focuses on solutions for brand safety and ad fraud; identity, data, and consumer privacy; ad experiences and measurement; and programmatic effectiveness. Its work includes the OpenRTB real-time bidding protocol, ads.txt anti-fraud specification, Open Measurement SDK for viewability and verification, VAST video specification, and Project Rearc initiative for privacy-centric addressability. Board members/companies are listed at https://iabtechlab.com/about-the-iab-tech-lab/tech-lab-leadership/. For more information, please visit https://iabtechlab.com.

SOURCE IAB Tech Lab