INFOnline
German web measurement standard operated by INFOnline GmbH for the AGOF and IVW publisher associations. The IOMb tag sets a first party identifier and counts page impressions to produce the official German media reach figures.
What does INFOnline do?
What INFOnline is
INFOnline GmbH operates the German cross publisher measurement system used by AGOF (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Online Forschung) and IVW (Informationsgemeinschaft zur Feststellung der Verbreitung von Werbeträgern). Its tag, historically called SZM and now IOMb, is embedded by major German publishers to produce the official audience and reach figures that drive online advertising sales.
Cookies and data collected
The IOMb tag writes a first party cookie named ioam2018 (the modern identifier, replacing the older i00 cookie) containing a pseudonymous client identifier and a timestamp. It also sends to the INFOnline servers the page URL, the referrer, screen attributes, the offer identifier of the publisher and a signature. A pseudonymous mode based on a hashed signature without persistent identifier is available as a fallback.
GDPR and ePrivacy implications
Section 25(1) of the German TDDDG, which implements Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive, requires consent for any storage or access to information on the user terminal that is not strictly necessary. The German supervisory authorities (DSK) have stated that audience measurement is not strictly necessary, so consent is required before the IOMb tag fires, including for the identifier cookie.
Consent and user controls
Load the IOMb tag only after the visitor accepts measurement cookies in the consent management platform. INFOnline also provides an opt out mechanism on its own website (optout.ioam.de) that writes an opt out cookie. The cookie policy should describe the identifier, its purpose and link to both the publisher and INFOnline opt out controls.
Data transfers and hosting
INFOnline processes the measurement data exclusively on servers in Germany. There is no transfer outside the European Economic Area. The infrastructure is TÜV certified for the SZM and IOMb measurement standards and aligned with the AGOF and IVW guidelines.
Practical compliance steps
Sign the INFOnline order processing contract, configure the consent management platform to block the IOMb script until consent is granted, list the ioam2018 cookie with its purpose and lifetime in the cookie policy, link to the INFOnline opt out, and document INFOnline as a processor in the records of processing alongside AGOF or IVW as joint controllers for the measurement output.
INFOnline and the GDPR
INFOnline is classified as “Analytics”. On a site that targets European visitors, it must only load after the visitor consents, and it must be listed in your cookie policy.
- Legal basis
- Consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR and section 25(1) TDDDG) for the measurement cookie and identifiers. Legitimate interest (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR) may be invoked in the alternative pseudonymous SZM mode that uses only a hashed signature, where supervisory authorities have shown some tolerance, but consent remains the safest basis.
- Risk level
- medium
- Applicable regulations
- GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, German Telecommunications Telemedia Data Protection Act (TDDDG), German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG), AGOF and IVW measurement guidelines.
Impact assessment (DPIA)
A DPIA is recommended when INFOnline is deployed alongside other tracking tools on high traffic publisher sites, when sensitive editorial content is involved, or when measurement is combined with additional profiling features. Document the identifier lifetime, the pseudonymisation, the role of INFOnline as processor and the AGOF or IVW reporting flow.
Sample text for your banner
We use INFOnline (IOMb) to count page impressions and contribute to the official German media reach measurement of AGOF and IVW. This sets a first party identifier and sends a pseudonymous signature to INFOnline servers in Germany. We need your consent to activate the measurement. You can accept, refuse or withdraw your consent at any time.
What INFOnline sets and contacts
- Tracking method
- JavaScript pixel (IOMb_bn or SZM tag) loaded from INFOnline domains, plus first party identifier cookie and HTTP requests for page impressions
- Server location
- Germany (INFOnline GmbH, Bonn). Data is processed exclusively on servers located in Germany under TÜV certified measurement.
- Cookieless mode available
- Yes
Cookies set (4)
| Name | Type | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| ioam2018 | http_persistent | 1 year | First party pseudonymous client identifier for AGOF and IVW cross publisher audience measurement. |
| ioam_h | http_session | Session | Short lived first party cookie used to deduplicate page impressions within a visit. |
| i00 | http_persistent | 1 year | Legacy first party identifier from the SZM system, still set on some implementations as a fallback to ioam2018. |
| IOMoptout | http_persistent | 1 year | Opt out cookie written from optout.ioam.de when the visitor opposes INFOnline measurement. |
Third-party domains contacted (5)
infonline.deioam.deiocnt.netagof.deivw.de
Frequently asked questions about INFOnline
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Which cookies does INFOnline set?
INFOnline writes a first party cookie called ioam2018 (replacing the older i00 cookie) containing a pseudonymous client identifier and a timestamp, with a lifetime of around one year. A second short lived first party cookie ioam_h is used for session deduplication. An additional opt out cookie is set when the user uses the optout.ioam.de control.
Is user consent required to fire the IOMb tag?
Yes. Audience measurement is not strictly necessary, so section 25(1) TDDDG and Article 5(3) ePrivacy require prior, freely given and informed consent before the IOMb tag is loaded. The German DSK has confirmed this position. INFOnline measurement must be gated by the consent management platform.
What is the legal basis for processing INFOnline data?
The default legal basis is consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR combined with section 25(1) TDDDG. INFOnline also offers a fallback pseudonymous mode based on a hashed signature without persistent identifier, for which some publishers argue legitimate interest under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR, but the safer approach is to rely on consent for all modes.
Does data leave the European Economic Area?
No. INFOnline processes the measurement data exclusively on servers located in Germany. The infrastructure is TÜV certified for the SZM and IOMb measurement standards and there is no transfer to the United States or to other third countries by default.
Is a Data Protection Impact Assessment required?
A DPIA is recommended when INFOnline is combined with other tracking tools on high traffic publisher sites, when sensitive editorial verticals are involved (health, politics, religion), or when measurement is paired with additional profiling such as logged in user analytics. Document the categories of data, the retention and the role of AGOF or IVW.
How do I implement INFOnline compliance correctly?
Sign the INFOnline order processing contract, integrate the IOMb tag through the consent management platform so it only fires after consent, list the ioam2018 cookie in the cookie policy with purpose and lifetime, link to the INFOnline opt out, and document INFOnline as processor alongside AGOF or IVW as joint controllers for the public measurement output.
Are there alternatives to INFOnline?
For purely internal analytics, privacy friendly tools such as Matomo (self hosted), Plausible or Fathom can replace INFOnline. They cannot however be used to participate in the official AGOF or IVW reach measurement, which remains the German market standard and requires the IOMb tag from INFOnline.
How do I update the cookie policy for INFOnline?
Add a dedicated entry for INFOnline with the cookie name ioam2018, its purpose (cross publisher audience measurement for AGOF and IVW), its lifetime, the data sent (URL, referrer, screen attributes, offer identifier, pseudonymous identifier) and the data controller chain. Link to the INFOnline privacy notice and to the optout.ioam.de control.
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