I recently joined Vijay Kumar on Web Without Walls, Mile Tech’s podcast, for a conversation about the state of identity and how publishers can rebuild control in a fragmented ecosystem. We covered a lot; from why cookies aren’t disappearing anytime soon to how “curation” has quietly become another layer of inefficiency dressed up as innovation.

The episode title captured it well: Rethinking Identity, Rebuilding Infrastructure, and Regaining Control. For years, publishers handed off their audience relationships to intermediaries in exchange for convenience. But with signal loss across browsers, devices, and platforms, it’s clear that control – not convenience – is what defines long-term success.

Cookies are still part of the picture, but they can’t be the foundation. A modern identity strategy starts with first-party data – what publishers collect directly from their audience. That doesn’t have to mean forcing logins everywhere. On-site behaviors, referral patterns, and newsletter engagement are all valuable signals when they’re captured, organized, and made actionable. The goal isn’t perfection overnight; it’s steady progress toward owning the data that already exists within reach.

We also got into the role of alternative IDs, and how the scramble to replace cookies has created its own confusion. Not every ID is built (or governed) the same way. Without transparency into how they’re derived, buyers can’t fully trust what they’re bidding on. That’s why efforts like the IAB Tech Lab’s ID Provenance are important. They help clarify where identifiers come from and how they’re used, creating a healthier marketplace for both sides.

The real takeaway from our discussion is that publishers who treat their data as a strategic asset are better positioned to weather whatever comes next. A direct connection with your audience is earned through trust and value; authentication is simply the moment it becomes visible. When you’ve built something worth engaging with, consumers don’t see a registration wall as friction—they see it as an invitation to bring your brand into their inbox.

This isn’t about chasing the next quick fix or waiting for a universal solution to emerge. It’s about building smarter systems, aligning incentives, and regaining control over the value that’s already being created.