Marketing managers face a key challenge: Data is becoming less, fragmented, and unreliable. Stricter data protection requirements such as GDPR and TTDSG as well as technological changes — such as iOS 14.5, ad blockers and browser-side tracking protection — make access to reliable signals significantly more difficult.
The key question today is:
How can a reliable basis for decision-making be ensured without compromising data protection?
Why data quality is increasingly suffering
Several factors affect modern tracking setups at the same time:
- Data protection regulations
- Higher consent requirements reduce available data points.
- Technical restrictions
- iOS 14.5, ATT, and browser protection mechanisms limit cross-channel and cross-platform tracking.
- Changed user behavior
- Increasing data protection awareness and ad blockers are reducing measurable interactions.
Companies that adapt to this reality early on can develop a competitive advantage — through smarter, more resilient data strategies.
The impact of iOS 14.5 & App Tracking Transparency
With iOS 14.5, Apple introduced App Tracking Transparency (ATT). Users must actively agree before tracking can take place. This severely limits the use of IDFA — with direct consequences for marketers:
- Lower data accuracy across channels and campaigns
- Restricted targeting and less personalized playback
- More uncertainty for measurement, attribution and budget allocation
Many companies are reacting to this with inefficient advertising spending because it is no longer clear which measures are actually performing. Transparency along the customer journey is thus becoming a decisive competitive factor.
Why first-party tracking is essential today
First-party tracking — i.e. data collection via your own domains or apps — has become the foundation of modern data strategies. In contrast to third-party tracking, the data remains within your own ecosystem.
Benefits of first-party tracking:
- More stable data quality for analysis and optimization
- More trust through direct use of data by the brand
- Better regulatory control, provided that consents are correct
Important: First-party tracking does not bypass ATT or IDFA restrictions. However, it manages Clarity, Control, and Transparency within your own channels.
Privacy-resilient tracking approaches
Future-proof tracking must technically robust and legally clean be. Important components are:
First-party cookies
- Are set within your own domain
- Less susceptible to browser blockages
- Enable real-time collection and better data sovereignty
fingerprinting (used responsibly)
- Can provide stability when cookies are restricted
- Works with anonymized, device-related signals
- May not be used to circumvent data protection requirements
These approaches complement each other — they do not replace consent, but increase the resilience of the data strategy.
Data protection requirements as part of the data strategy
GDPR and TTDSG are not negotiable. Successful data strategies ensure:
- Clean consent management with active consent
- Transparent communication for data usage
- Safe processing according to clear standards
Tracify helps companies do this by:
- Completely anonymized data processing
- Granular consent handling according to legal requirements
- A consistent privacy-by-design architecture
This turns data protection from risk to strategic advantage.
Case Study: Restoring data quality after iOS 14.5
The D2C brand Bedrop After iOS 14.5, there were massive challenges in attribution and budget management. Unclear data made it difficult to scale profitable campaigns.
By using first-party tracking and AI-powered attribution with Tracify, Bedrop achieved:
- Full transparency along the customer journey
- Smarter budget decisions based on stable data
- Scalable growth, from 30,000€ to over 300,000€ advertising budget per month
The case study shows how data protection-resilient technologies not only ensure data quality, but also enable sustainable growth.
Conclusion: Data protection-resilient data as a growth driver
Modern companies must combine data protection and performance.
First-party and privacy-resilient tracking approaches show the way forward: compliant, transparent and resilient.
Tracify supports brands with:
- Reliable real-time data for better decisions
- GDPR & TTDSG compliant tracking
- AI-powered attributionthat makes real impact visible
This is how companies master the complexity of modern data protection requirements — and create the basis for efficient budgets, clear decisions and sustainable growth.
