Glossary/Privacy & Identity/First-Party Data
Privacy & Identity
First-Party Data
Data a company collects directly from its own customers and audiences.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Appears in Lesson 6 of Programmatic 101
Short answer
First-party data is information a company collects directly from its own customers and audiences, such as purchase history, website behavior, app activity, email engagement, and survey responses. Because it is gathered with a direct relationship, it is generally more accurate and privacy-compliant than purchased data. It has become central to targeting and measurement as cookies disappear.
