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Google introduced consent mode to help publishers and advertisers adapt their tagging behavior to user choices and consent requirements under frameworks like the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive.
Since March 2024, the company has enforced its EU User Consent Policy (UCP) for audience and measurement solutions. To preserve measurement and personalization features for EEA traffic, organizations using Google’s advertising and measurement products should implement Google consent mode V2.
This article covers consent mode, how it works, what’s new in v2, and how to get started.
What is Google consent mode, and how does it work?
At a high level, consent mode is a tool that allows organizations to detect consent signals from users and adjust Google tags accordingly.
In practical terms, Google products will respect user consent, and Google will help you make up for lost data by filling the gaps using conversion modeling. A typical consent mode scenario will look something like this:
Through our native integration, Didomi customers can forward consent signals to Google in a controlled way, respect user choices, and leverage Google’s modeling to mitigate measurement gaps caused by opt-outs.
Where does consent mode apply?
Google consent mode works with several Google products and tags, including:
- Google Analytics
- Google Ads (Google Ads Conversion Tracking and Remarketing)
- Floodlight
- Conversion Linker
Introducing Google’s latest updates to consent mode V2
To adapt to the evolving regulatory ecosystem, Google upgraded consent mode for Google Ads, Google Marketing Platform, and Google Analytics as part of its EU UCP enforcement, impacting measurement and personalization features for EEA traffic.
The company has introduced two additional settings, ad_personalization and ad_user_data to the consent mode API that can be attributed to consent collection:
These new parameter tags will be triggered when users make their choices on a consent banner, giving Google better control over data usage and ensuring consent is collected before data processing.
Google consent mode V2 also features two modes of implementation:
- Basic consent mode V2: Google tags are blocked until users give their consent.
- Advanced consent mode V2: Tags may load with a default restricted state, and can send cookieless pings when consent is declined, adapting dynamically if the user later grants consent.
Your consent mode implementation on your website/app will determine whether you are using the basic or advanced mode. Our integration supports both.
For Google and Google users, consent mode V2 is not so much a feature as it is a requirement and a paradigm shift in consent management. At Didomi, we’ve long believed in the power of consent to build online user experiences based on trust, and this development is in line with our principles:
We are strong advocates of privacy-first experiences that promote user choice and transparency. The new Google consent mode requirements give more control to the end user, which is what our mission is all about.
Didomi has been actively involved in the CMP Partner Program, and we are working with Google to ensure seamless integration of these updates
- Romain Gauthier, co-founder and CEO at Didomi
Our CMP has been repeatedly confirmed as a Google Partner with Gold status for our compliance with consent mode V2 requirements.
How to get started with Google consent mode V2 on Didomi
Organizations wanting to implement Google consent mode can easily start by working with a Google-certified Consent Management Platform (CMP) like Didomi.
It takes only seconds to load our SDK. Once completed, consent banners can be configured in the Didomi Console with just a few clicks, especially for standard frameworks like the IAB TCF. During this process, Google Consent Mode is enabled by default, ensuring ease of setup. To learn more about the implementation, look at our help center documentation.
Once the integration is live, what happens can be summed up in 3 simple steps:
- Users make their consent choices on your Didomi banner
- Didomi communicates these choices to Google via consent mode
- Depending on whether consent was provided or not, Google Tags will dynamically adapt
Our team offers a complete onboarding program to suit all levels of expertise, complete support, and developer documentation. We integrate with standards like the IAB Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) v2.2. We have been helping clients ensure compliance with all Google requirements for years.
To learn more about Google consent mode v2 and how you can get started with Didomi, check out our documentation or simply book a quick call with one of our experts:
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Google consent mode?
Google consent mode is a tool that allows organizations to adapt their use of Google tags based on user consent. It helps in respecting users' choices and complying with data privacy laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the ePrivacy directive.
What are the key updates in Google consent mode V2?
Google consent mode V2 introduces additional settings that enable better control over data usage and ensure that consent is collected before data processing.
Why is Google consent mode V2 important for organizations?
It's essential for organizations with users in the European Economic Area using Google advertising and measurement products to enable or upgrade to consent mode V2 to maintain measurement and personalization features.
How does Google consent mode work?
Consent mode detects user consent signals and adjusts Google tags accordingly. For example, it allows Google products to respect user consent for data collection and utilizes conversion modeling to compensate for data loss due to user opt-outs.
Do you still need a Consent Management Platform to be GDPR compliant?
It’s important to note that Google Consent Mode does not replace the need for a consent solution such as a Consent Management Platform.
It remains the website operator’s responsibility to gather consent and store it in a GDPR compliant way, using a valid consent solution. Compliant use of Google consent mode therefore requires fully functioning consent management technology to collect and store user consent choices (like the Didomi CMP).
Essentially, Google Consent Mode effectively acts as the bridge between the CMP and Google, allowing Google services to act in a way according to user consent, without requiring Google to actually have access directly to any personal data.
How can organizations implement Google consent mode V2?
Organizations can start by working with a Google-certified Consent Management Platform (CMP) like Didomi.
Do organizations need to update their privacy policy as a result of Google consent mode V2 activation?
We cannot provide legal advice, but it is our understanding that the answer will depend on the type of implementation:
- Basic implementation: Tags are blocked until consent is granted, which limits data collection for opted-out users.
- Advanced implementation: Cookieless pings are sent for the opt-out traffic. Organizations should sync with their DPO whether this warrants an update of their privacy policy.
What are the steps organizations need to take ?
There are four key steps organizations using Google services need to take to ensure compliance with Google requirements:
- Collecting user consent for users in the Eruopean Econmic Area (EEA) via a Google-certified Consent Management Platform.
- Implement consent mode to communicate consent signals for online data to Google's advertising platforms.
- Ensure your measurement stack is compatible with Google Analytics 4. Learn more about Google Analytics 4.
- Upgrade Google APIs to pass consent signals for offline data to Google's advertising platforms.
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