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In March 2024, Google updated its European Union (EU) User Consent Policy. With this new policy, no data regarding new EEA users will be captured by Google’s advertising platforms like Google Ads and Google Analytics (GA4) without implementing Consent Mode V2. 

What are Google Consent Signals?

Consent signals are notifications sent to Google Analytics by a user or a consent management platform, communicating the user's consent preferences. These signals determine whether Google Analytics is authorized to collect data, specify the types of data permissible for collection, and detail the intended purposes for such data collection.

Who is affected by this policy?

This policy applies to end users in the European Economic Area (EEA) and the UK. This includes all users located in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

What features will be affected?

This new policy will impact measurement features and apply to data from:

  • Websites
  • Apps
  • Data uploads
  • Google Ads
  • Google Play

To continue using measurement, ad personalization, and remarketing features, it is now required to collect EU end-user data consent and share those consent features with Google. 

Consent Policy Information

Under this new policy, businesses are now required to obtain legally valid consent from users to:

  • Use cookies or other local storage
  • Collect, share, and use personal data for ad personalization

To collect consent, businesses must

  • Have a record of consent from end users
  • Give clear instructions to end users for revocation of consent

The new policy requires retailers to identify each party collecting, receiving, or using end users’ data. Additionally, end users must have access to easily accessible information about that party’s use of personal data. Failure to adhere to the EU Consent Policy could result in Google restricting or suspending access to their products and services or terminating agreements with non-compliant entities.

What now?

Check your “Consent Mode” settings to ensure Analytics receives the proper consent signals. Use Consent Mode to

  • Ensure the property is collecting measurement consent signals
  • Verify the property is collecting ad personalization consent signals
  • Use resources for implementing consent mode on your website
  • Monitor Google products using collected data with appropriate consent signals

Understanding and implementing privacy settings and policies is critical to complying with the latest Google privacy laws for your eCommerce business. Ensure you implement the proper consent signals to continue collecting data under the new Google Consent Mode v2 policies. 

Smart Solutions is here to help; let’s get on a call to ensure your business complies with the new Google EU User Consent Policy to continue making the most of your customer data.