Google Ad Manager expands user identifier sharing for curation partners

Google Ad Manager announced significant changes to its curation features on July 24, 2025, expanding data sharing capabilities with third-party partners while streamlining publisher controls. The updates introduce broader user identifier sharing and simplified interface controls, with implementation scheduled for August 23, 2025.

The modifications target two primary areas: enhanced data coverage through expanded identifier sharing and simplified user interface controls for curation settings. Publishers will see their existing settings maintained through the transition, while gaining access to more granular data sharing options.

Technical specifications for data sharing expansion

According to the announcement, Google will begin sharing user identifiers including Device ID, Ad Manager third-party cookies, and Hosted Match data with curation partners. This represents an expansion from the current Secure Signals sharing model, which focused primarily on encrypted signal transmission.

The changes affect all curation partners currently receiving Secure Signals. These partners will automatically gain access to the additional identifier types without requiring publisher action. The expansion aims to enhance coverage for programmatic targeting while maintaining existing privacy protections.

Publishers working with curation tools launched in November 2024 will experience the most significant impact from these changes. The system introduced through those tools enabled agencies to target data segments and create auction packages through their Agency Seat interfaces.

Interface modifications streamline publisher controls

The Curation Settings user interface undergoes substantial restructuring as part of the update. Google removes the "Share Contextual Information" control while introducing a new "Enable Data Sharing" toggle for every curation partner.

This new toggle determines whether publishers share data with specific partners, with the exact data types depending on partner configuration. Curation partners maintain the ability to choose which signals they receive, including contextual signals, user identifiers, and Secure Signals.

The "Share Secure Signals" control remains available for partners with "Enable Data Sharing" activated and configured for Secure Signals reception. Activating "Enable Data Sharing" will automatically enable "Share Secure Signals" by default, though publishers can disable the latter while maintaining the former.

Publishers also see "Allow Inventory Curation" renamed to "Allow Inventory Packaging." The functionality remains unchanged, but the terminology better reflects the feature's actual operations in packaging inventory for buyer access.

Implementation timeline and migration procedures

Starting July 24, 2025, the updated Curation Settings interface becomes available to all publishers. The actual sharing of user identifiers begins August 23, 2025, providing publishers with a one-month transition period.

Google will migrate existing publisher settings according to specific rules. Partners currently enabled for "Share Contextual Information" will have "Enable Data Sharing" set to 'on'. Partners with "Share Secure Signals" enabled will have both "Share Secure Signals" and "Enable Data Sharing" activated.

Publishers can modify these settings at any time after August 23, 2025, when user identifier sharing begins. The migration preserves existing configurations while introducing the new control structure.

Policy updates affect partner guidelines

Concurrent with the curation changes, Google updates its Ad Manager Partner Guidelines Section 2.9 to more accurately reflect Secure Signals processing. The revision changes terminology from "bidder" and "buyer" to "recipients" in the first and second bullets respectively.

This update aligns with the recent expansion of Partner Guidelines that introduced machine learning restrictions for creative content management. The terminology change reflects the broader ecosystem of participants who may receive Secure Signals data beyond traditional bidders.

The policy modifications complement ongoing efforts to enhance transparency in digital advertising, particularly regarding data usage and revenue distribution across programmatic platforms.

Strategic implications for programmatic ecosystem

The curation updates represent part of Google's broader strategy to enhance programmatic advertising efficiency while maintaining publisher control over data sharing. The changes build upon Publisher Provided Signals functionalityintroduced in May 2024.

Publishers benefit from improved deal transaction rates and match rates as bid requests sent to demand-side platforms become optimized for buyer targeting. The enhanced data sharing enables more accurate forecasting against available inventory, particularly valuable for agencies managing complex campaign requirements.

The expansion of user identifier sharing addresses limitations in contextual targeting environments, particularly relevant for Connected TV and mobile app inventory where traditional cookie-based targeting faces restrictions.

Curation partners gain access to richer data sets for segment creation and inventory packaging. This enhanced data access enables more sophisticated audience targeting and inventory optimization, potentially improving campaign performance for advertisers while increasing revenue opportunities for publishers.

The timing coincides with broader industry developments around data sharing and privacy compliance. Google's approach maintains publisher control while expanding data availability for legitimate advertising purposes.

Industry context and competitive positioning

Google's curation enhancements occur amid increasing industry focus on data collaboration and programmatic efficiency. The updates address challenges identified in previous analyses of curation's impact on premium inventory and transparency.

The changes reflect competitive pressure from alternative programmatic platforms that offer enhanced data sharing capabilities. Publishers increasingly seek solutions that balance revenue optimization with data control, particularly as privacy regulations evolve across different markets.

Marketing professionals managing campaigns through Google Ad Manager will need to assess how the enhanced curation capabilities affect their targeting strategies. The expanded data sharing may improve campaign performance but requires careful evaluation of privacy compliance requirements.

The updates also support Google's emphasis on automated campaign management, complementing recent developments in asset-based advertising formats that prioritize dynamic optimization over static campaign structures.

Technical implementation requirements

Publishers implementing the new curation features must ensure compliance with existing privacy requirements and data protection regulations. The expanded identifier sharing necessitates review of existing privacy policies and consent mechanisms.

The system requires publishers to maintain direct contractual relationships with curation partners and ensure appropriate data handling practices. Publishers retain responsibility for policy compliance regardless of partner actions.

Technical teams should prepare for the interface changes scheduled for July 24, 2025, and the identifier sharing implementation on August 23, 2025. The one-month gap provides time for testing and configuration adjustments.

Publishers utilizing multiple curation partners will benefit from the simplified interface controls, though they should review each partner's configuration to ensure appropriate data sharing settings.

The enhanced curation capabilities complement existing Google Ad Manager features including frequency capping, competitive exclusion settings, and auction insights that provide transparency into bidding dynamics.

Publishers interested in maximizing the benefits of these updates should consider their overall programmatic strategy and how curation fits within their broader monetization approach. The changes provide additional tools for revenue optimization while maintaining the flexibility to adjust data sharing policies as needed.

Timeline

• July 24, 2025: Google announces curation signals and settings changes with updated UI deployment
• July 24, 2025: New Curation Settings interface becomes available to all publishers
• August 23, 2025: User identifier sharing begins according to configured settings
• November 2024: Google launched curation tools for Ad Manager to optimize agency workflows
• May 2024: Google introduced Publisher Provided Signals for enhanced programmatic monetization
• March 2024: Google and Amazon introduced transparency reports responding to Digital Markets Act requirements
• July 2021: Google updated Partner Guidelines to include encrypted signals guidance

Key Terms Explained

Curation Partners: Third-party companies that work with publishers to create data segments and package inventory for programmatic advertising. These partners analyze publisher data to create targeted audience segments that buyers can access directly through their agency seats. Curation partners use signals from publishers to enhance inventory appeal and value, creating a bridge between publisher data and advertiser targeting needs. The relationship requires direct contractual agreements and compliance with data sharing policies.

User Identifiers: Digital markers including Device ID, Ad Manager third-party cookies, and Hosted Match data that help identify and track users across advertising platforms. These identifiers enable programmatic platforms to connect advertising opportunities with relevant audiences while maintaining user privacy through technical safeguards. The expansion of identifier sharing represents a significant enhancement in targeting capabilities for curation partners working within the Google Ad Manager ecosystem.

Secure Signals: Encrypted data transmission feature that allows publishers to share obfuscated information with selected bidders without revealing meaningful data to Google. These signals must be processed in ways that make them meaningless to Google while remaining interpretable by publisher-selected recipients. The feature enables enhanced targeting while maintaining data privacy and publisher control over information sharing with specific partners.

Enable Data Sharing: New toggle control introduced in Google Ad Manager that determines whether publishers share contextual signals and user identifiers with specific curation partners. This unified control replaces previous separate settings and provides granular management over data sharing relationships. Publishers can activate this setting while maintaining separate control over Secure Signals sharing, offering flexibility in data sharing arrangements.

Programmatic Advertising: Automated buying and selling of digital advertising inventory through real-time bidding systems and algorithmic decision-making. This ecosystem includes demand-side platforms, supply-side platforms, ad exchanges, and data management platforms that facilitate efficient ad transactions. The curation updates enhance programmatic capabilities by improving data availability and targeting precision for automated campaign optimization.

Publisher Provided Signals: Beta feature enabling publishers to share first-party data and contextual information using standardized taxonomies without revealing personal user information. This functionality enhances programmatic monetization by providing valuable audience and content data to advertisers while maintaining privacy compliance. Publishers can configure these signals to improve targeting accuracy and campaign performance across their inventory.

Inventory Packaging: Process where curation partners organize publisher inventory into targeted packages based on audience segments, content types, or other targeting dimensions. These packages often include floor prices and specific targeting parameters that appeal to particular buyer requirements. The renamed "Allow Inventory Packaging" setting gives publishers control over whether partners can include their inventory in curated packages offered to advertisers.

Google Ad Manager: Google's comprehensive ad serving platform that enables publishers to manage, optimize, and monetize their digital advertising inventory across websites, mobile apps, and connected TV. The platform includes features for direct sales, programmatic advertising, yield optimization, and detailed reporting. Recent updates have expanded curation capabilities, data sharing options, and automated optimization tools for publisher revenue enhancement.

Data Segments: Categorized groups of users or inventory created by curation partners based on behavioral patterns, content consumption, demographics, or other targeting criteria. These segments enable advertisers to target specific audiences without accessing individual user data. Buyers can target these segments directly through their agency seats, improving campaign relevance and performance while respecting user privacy through aggregated targeting approaches.

Agency Seat: Interface within demand-side platforms that enables advertising agencies to manage campaigns, access inventory, and implement targeting strategies. The seat provides agencies with tools for bid management, audience targeting, and campaign optimization across multiple advertising channels. Enhanced curation capabilities allow agencies to access publisher data segments and curated inventory packages directly through their existing workflow interfaces.

Summary

Who: Google Ad Manager publishers, curation partners, programmatic advertisers, and agencies using data targeting capabilities

What: Expansion of user identifier sharing to include Device ID, third-party cookies, and Hosted Match data, plus simplified curation interface controls with "Enable Data Sharing" toggle and renamed "Allow Inventory Packaging" setting

When: Announced July 24, 2025, with interface updates available immediately and user identifier sharing beginning August 23, 2025

Where: Global implementation across all Google Ad Manager accounts with curation partners enabled

Why: To enhance programmatic targeting coverage, improve deal transaction rates, provide more accurate inventory forecasting, and simplify publisher data sharing controls while maintaining privacy protections