What is legitimate interest under GDPR?

Legitimate interest is one of the GDPR's legal bases for processing personal data, covering uses that are necessary for a business purpose and do not override the visitor's rights. It does not cover tracking cookies: EU regulators and the TCF's current version require actual consent for advertising and personalization.

Where it genuinely applies

Fraud prevention, network security, and some kinds of basic analytics have been argued under legitimate interest. The key test is balancing: the business need must be real, and the impact on the person must be minimal.

Why it does not save your banner

For cookies, the ePrivacy rules demand consent regardless of what legal basis you might claim under GDPR afterward. And since TCF v2.2, the ad industry itself removed legitimate interest as a basis for personalized advertising.