iDNES and Partner Sites Update Advertising Consent Policy iDNES, the Czech news portal, has clarified how it uses user data for targeted advertising across its network of sites, which includes Lidovky.cz, Expres.cz, and Antiyoutuber.cz. The policy explains the conditions under which users can opt in or out of personalized ads and the data processing practices involved. ### Targeted Advertising and Consent Users who choose to provide consent for targeted advertising will see both targeted and non‑targeted ads on the four sites. Targeting is based on profiling of users’ online habits and interests, derived from data collected about their internet activity. The profiling is carried out by MAFRA, a.s. and a network of 125 advertising partners, whose full list is publicly available on the iDNES website. ### Withdrawal of Consent Users may withdraw their consent for targeted advertising at any time. If a user revokes consent, they will be prompted to switch to iDNES Premium, a subscription service that removes ads. Consent for other purposes—such as displaying content tailored to user interests—can be changed or withdrawn without requiring a subscription. ### Legitimate Interest and Privacy Settings Certain data processing activities are carried out on the basis of legitimate interest. Users can object to processing under this basis and adjust their privacy settings in the “Detailed Settings” section. Settings applied on one of the four sites automatically apply to the others. ### Data Processing Activities The policy lists the following data processing activities: 1. Use of limited data for ad selection 2. Use of profiles for personalized content 3. Creation of profiles for personalized content 4. Measurement of ad performance 5. Audience analysis through statistics or data combinations 6. Use of profiles for personalized advertising 7. Development and improvement of services 8. Measurement of content performance 9. Technical operation of the sites ### Technical Constraints on Opt‑Out Because of technical limitations on the advertising providers’ side, users cannot opt out of certain processing activities—specifically, the use of profiles for personalized content, creation of such profiles, measurement of content performance, and technical site operation—unless they explicitly indicate non‑consent in the “Processing by publisher and partners” section of the privacy settings. If a user does not express non‑consent for these items, the processing will proceed. ### Exceptions and Additional Sites The policy notes an exception for a few specialized advertising formats, such as commercial messages or self‑promotion by iDNES and its subsidiaries, where it is difficult to remove the content from the ad format. Details are provided in the company’s commercial terms. For other websites operated by the same parent company, users can set preferences separately. However, if a user consents to targeted advertising on any of the four main sites, that consent is assumed to apply to all of them. The updated policy aims to provide clearer information on how user data is used for advertising and how users can manage their consent and privacy settings.