Privacy groups file legal complaint over UK’s handling of online ads

According to TechCrunch, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office  (ICO) is now facing a legal challenge after pausing a recent complaint against the adtech industry. The original complaint — challenging the adtech industry’s compliance with Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was filed to the ICO in September 2018 by privacy campaigners. In a letter to the complainants, dated in September 2020, the ICO writes that it intends to recommence its industry wide investigation into RTB in due course — but does not provide additional details. Politico reports that campaigners said they were concerned that the online advertising industry would not be held to account for potential privacy violations under EU’s GDPR.