EUID myths: It’s expensive and privacy-unsafe, right?

As privacy regulations tighten and signal loss increases across platforms, buyers and marketers are asking how to reach audiences effectively. Below, we debunk common EUID myths about cost, security, ownership, privacy, and scalability — all while explaining how it can help you build a privacy-aligned identity strategy.

MYTH: EUID is expensive to store. 

FACT: It’s free to create and store within specific platforms like The Trade Desk. Unlike other identity solutions, such as LiveRamp, that charge based on ID volume or data usage, EUIDs that live only on our platform don’t incur added costs for customer data platforms or clean rooms. 

MYTH: The Trade Desk will steal and sell my customer data. 

FACT: EUID is built for privacy and compliance with EU data protection laws. This means that it only transmits encrypted, tokenized versions of user IDs. In fact, no identifiable customer data enters the bidstream. 

MYTH: EUID creates a central identity graph that compromises data security. 

FACT: EUID is an identifier, not a graph. That said, The Trade Desk can use EUIDs in our platform’s identity graph where legally allowed; however, we never store advertiser data. 

MYTH: Using email addresses as EUIDs isn’t privacy-compliant. 

FACT: The EUID framework is grounded in encryption and tokenization. Each refresh re-encrypts the ID to prevent exposure, a consent-based approach that’s aligned with EU data protection law requirements, IAB Europe’s Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF), and local regulatory guidance. 

MYTH: Entering email addresses in the bidstream with EUID creates security and legal risks.  

FACT: EUID doesn’t send raw email addresses. Instead, it replaces them with pseudonymized tokens, which are encrypted and rotated regularly. What’s more is that, if intercepted, these tokens are unreadable. 

• Encrypted delivery: Only the intended recipient can decrypt the data. 

• Compliance: No raw emails stored. All processing happens securely within the EU. 

• Legal oversight: Regularly reviewed to stay aligned with data protection laws. 

MYTH: EUID can’t scale. 

FACT: Logged-in environments like CTV and in-app gaming are growing fast. As user time in authenticated environments rises, addressability strengthens. Together, these developments give web publishers more incentive to offer content in exchange for CRM data. 

MYTH: Disposable email addresses undermine EUID. 

FACT: Long-term emails still matter. While disposable email use is growing, stable personal and business email addresses remain essential and continue to anchor identity resolution strategies. 

Interested in learning more about EUID? Reach out to your designated account manager at The Trade Desk today.