The ‘super cookie’ of the operators has arrived in Spain: how to deactivate TrustPid from the mobile so that it does not track you

TrustPid is a technical solution for digital advertising created by Vodafone that the operator has started testing in Germany together with Deutsche Telekom. Basically, it consists of a token capable of identifying users from mobile operators when they browse the internet to show them personalized ads

From Vodafone they assure that there are no plans to bring it to Spain, but, after analyzing the TrustPid API code, Broadband discovered that Movistar and Orange already have it active in our country. Here’s how you can check if you have it activated on your Android mobile and disable it if you wish.

What is TrustPid and how can you disable it

The so-called “super cookie” of the operators, TrustPid, is responsible for tracking users by assigning a fixed IP to each one, so that it identifies their preferences and interests in order to create anonymized business profiles that they can sell later to advertisers (they do not reveal details that allow users to be identified).

In other words, TrustPid saves information during web browsing, as if it were a cookie, but it does so at the mobile Internet service provider (ISP) level and cannot be disabled or blocked. Neither from the configuration of the web browser nor by hiding IP addresses, you can only revoke your consent through its privacy portal.

In that portal is where, precisely, TrustPid already mentions that can be used by Telefónica and Orange. And the truth is that both Broadband and our colleagues at EuroXliveMóvil have bought that both operators already have it active in Spain. If you want to verify it yourself, just follow these steps:

• Enter the TrustPid website with mobile data network Movistar or Orange (does not work with WiFi).

• In the ‘Manage your consent’ section, click the ‘verify me’ button.

• If you have it activated, it will give you the option to disable it by pressing ‘stop service’. This option only stops the TrustPid for all advertisers or publishers, but beware, only for 90 days.

During our tests, when trying it with the mobile network of O2 (Movistar coverage) or Simyo (Orange coverage), in some cases has allowed us to enter to stop the servicebut in most it got stuck “Accessing”.

We have also tried with a connection from Yoigo or PepePhone, from the MásMóvil Group, and it has been impossible for us (“Access has failed”) because the “mobile connection provider is not yet part of TrustPid”.