In 2015, we introduced Google’s EU User Consent Policy (EU UCP). Since its inception, this policy has demonstrated our commitment to help advertisers, publishers and users thrive responsibly in the online advertising ecosystem. The EU UCP reflects the requirements of two European privacy regulations: the ePrivacy Directive (ePD) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and requires marketers advertising with Google to obtain and respect end-users’ consent.
Starting this year, we will enhance enforcement of the EU UCP for audience and measurement solutions. In order to preserve performance of campaigns that are showing ads to consumers in the European Economic Area (EEA), app and web advertisers need to send verifiable consent signal(s) to Google. As the regulatory ecosystem continues to evolve, we have announced upgrades to consent mode for Google Ads, Google Marketing Platform and Google Analytics that may require immediate action to preserve ads personalization features before March 2024.
Unlock the power of consent mode with Google’s CMP partners
In preparation for these changes, we have upgraded the consent mode API by adding two new parameters that provide additional control for consent collection. In addition, we've long partnered with Consent Management Platforms (CMP) to enable consent mode with our CMP Partner Program. CMP Partners are becoming an even more integral part of the web and app experience and so we're continuing to expand and invest in this program.
These partners can help you save time by:
- implementing or upgrading your website / app consent banner;
- managing your consent banner content;
- passing the consent signals back to Google (via consent mode) to provide verifiable consent for conversion measurement and audience targeting.
If you want an automated solution, a Google CMP Partner offers a smooth path for advertisers to manage this dynamic regulatory landscape in the EEA. Several CMP Partners offer automatic upgrades to the latest consent mode API. However, if you still want more configurability and control, you can choose to implement a custom solution. We have several resources to assist you with this.
If you or your technology partners are using Google APIs/SDKs to share audience data with Google, you will need to upgrade to the latest Google Ads API and Display & Video 360 API. App advertisers should update to the latest Google App Conversion Tracking API or SDK version which will allow them to properly communicate consent signals to help respect user choices and enable comprehensive measurement and modeling. For our app advertisers working with App Attribution Partners (AAP), please upgrade to the latest AAP SDK/API version and work with your AAP partner to ensure your consent signals are communicated to Google.
Looking ahead
This year marks an inflection point for marketing with regulatory changes in the landscape. Consent mode can help you get ready with the right foundation of durable solutions powered by your consented first-party data and Google AI. That way, you can continue to deliver performance in this dynamic era of online advertising.
Posted by Shirin Eghtesadi, Director, Product Management
