Safari ITP FAQ

Q: What are the browser changes?
A: Last year, Apple released ITP 2.0, a consumer privacy feature that prevents cookie-based tracking for transactions that take place on mobile, tablet and desktop devices (iOS and OS X) in Safari browsers.
Apple continues to evolve Intelligent Tracking Prevention, most recently introducing ITP 2.2. The latest ITP enhancement cap cookies to one day when both of the following conditions are met:

1. A user lands on the current webpage because of a domain that has cross-site tracking capabilities
2. The final URL of this navigation has a query string and/or fragment identifier.
   • Additional details on this can be found here

Functionality evolution is not limited to Apple’s Safari, with Firefox and Chrome both announcing plans to release similar technology in the coming year.
Q: Why are browsers making changes that impact digital advertising tracking?
A: Disabling client-side first-party and third-party cookies for domains that use data to track user activity is an effort to provide an additional layer of privacy to consumers. The experience addresses complaints of invasive ads and speeds page load time. A positive change for consumers’ privacy, digital marketing tracking is forced to adopt to what has been foreshadowed for years—the demise of cookies.
Q: Is Safari the only browser making privacy changes?
A: No, they’re not. Many browsers, including Chrome and Firefox, have taken similar steps to alter their functionality relative to cookies. 
Google Chrome announced opt-in cookie controls that will be released in the coming months. The tool makes it easier for users to block or clear cookies from their browser activity, effectively protecting themselves from data collection at their own discretion. Chrome users can also download a browser extension that provides transparency into which data is being used to target them with ads with data supplied by Google.
Firefox has also unveiled Private Browsing, which erases your browsing information—including cookies—and Content Blocking which prevents tracking of private information tracking, storage and sharing between websites.
Q: How do these browser changes impact Pepperjam’s tracking?
A: ITP triggers performance marketing tracking loss. By implementing Ascend’s Container Tag, affiliate tracking is protected despite the limitations set by ITP 2.2.
Q: Do all Ascend advertisers need to update their tracking?
A: Advertisers that currently have the container tag implemented (including through an ecommerce platform extension) do not need to make any changes.
All other brands must implement one of our recommended solutions to maintain channel tracking:

• Advertisers utilizing basic, itemized and dynamic tracking should make the tracking update by implementing the container tag or utilizing an ecommerce platform extension that supports the container tag.
• Batch advertisers who use Dynamic tracking will need to send in all click IDs related to a consumer’s session, not just the final Click ID, if they wish to continue using dynamic attribution. Guidelines for how to update their batch files with all click IDs will be provided by the Integration team.

Q: What does this change mean for Unity clients?
A: Advertisers using legacy Unity tracking need to update to Ascend’s Container Tag to mitigate tracking loss. To begin this tracking change, open a support request with our Advertiser Integration team at [e-mail].
 Q: What should I implement to mitigate channel transaction loss?
A: There are two solutions available to advertisers:

• Ascend’s container tag. The Ascend Container Tag can be installed directly on your website or through an existing tag manager. By choosing this solution, you reduce the amount of manual integration work related to ever-changing browser functionality, as well as Google Parallel Tracking.  Instructions on implementation and testing are found here.
• Ecommerce platform extensions. Ecommerce platform extensions and plugins are the quickest way for advertisers to update tracking and include necessary changes that mitigate browser-induced tracking loss. Extensions that include our container tag are currently available through:
  • Shopify extensions are ready to implement and available through these links for new installs and updates for existing users.
    • **ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PROGRAMS ON DYNAMIC 
  • Salesforce Commerce Cloud (formerly Demandware) is the latest ecommerce platform in our partnership ecosystem. All customers on this platform can now implement the LINK Technology Partner Program Cartridge. To download, click “Download Integration” on the left side of our marketplace page.
  • WooCommerce brands can now implement our container tag using the extension with step-by-step directions whether you currently use the plugin or are implementing it for the first time.
  • Magento customers have two extensions available to them through Pepperjam: Magento 1 and Magento 2.

Q: How does the browser update impact publishers?
A: Publishers will not receive commission on transactions that they refer if advertisers fail to implement our recommended tracking enhancement, negatively impacting existing relationships and negating the ability to create new partnerships.
Publishers will continue to receive commission for transactions referred for advertisers that have completed the tracking updates.
Q: How are publishers responding to these browser updates?
A: Publishers on our platform have made us aware that they will deprioritize and/or end partnerships with advertisers who do not complete the tracking update and remove those advertisers from their site.
Q: What is the timeline for implementing our tracking enhancement?
A: Tracking updates should be made ASAP, as Apple’s Safari ITP is already live.
Pepperjam strives to keep our advertisers in-the-know on ever-changing browser updates and how they potentially impact your affiliate channel experience and will provide additional information on ITP tracking changes as they evolve.
Q: I already pass click ID as a parameter on my destination URLs. Why do I need to do anything at all?
A: To avoid negative impact from browser enhancements, advertisers need to configure their tracking to pass the click ID on the destination URL, store the click ID and pass the click ID in the tracking pixel or transactions file to Pepperjam. Doing so will ensure tracking works properly when no cookie is present. Passing click ID on the destination URL alone will not circumvent issues caused by browser changes.