Glossaryuser identificationcookies

Universal ID

universal IDfirst-party cookiesdevice IDsdevice graphsuser trackingmobile IDscross-devicebrowser identification

A universal ID is a unique user identifier that allows AdTech companies to recognize users across different websites and devices.

Universal IDs are constructed from IDs stored in cookies — typically first-party cookies — as well as device IDs sourced from smartphones, tablets, and other connected devices.

Some universal IDs operate within a single environment, such as web browsers, while others are designed to identify users across multiple environments — for example, bridging web browsers and mobile devices. In the cross-environment case, device graphs are used to match IDs generated in web browsers with those generated on other devices, such as mobile IDs on smartphones.

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