The complaints argue that behavioural ads are both harmful and unlawful. Earlier complaints over the same Real-Time Bidding (RTB) programmatic advertising issue were filed across the EU in 2018 and 2019 but have yet to result in any substantive regulatory action. Ireland did open a probe into Google’s ad exchange last year, while Belgium’s DPA has been progressing an investigation into a flagship industry tool that’s used for gathering consents to ad targeting — making a preliminary finding of non-compliance in October. But litigation to reach a final verdict on the IAB Europe’s “Transparency and Consent” (TCF) framework won’t take place until next year.