The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an EU law that governs the processing of personal data of individuals inside the EU. The GDPR requires websites who uses cookies that process personal data to first obtain the clear and affirmative consent of users. The GDPR also empowers users with the rights to access their collected personal data, have it rectified and deleted.

Learn more about the GDPR

Under the GDPR, consumers — like visitors to websites, ecommerce shoppers, app users, etc. — must provide explicit consent before their personal data can be collected from their online activities and processed for various purposes. Consumers must also be notified about the ways their data is collected, for what purposes, who may have access to it, and other details. A consent management platform enables websites, apps, and more to provide information about cookies and tracking services in use (Data Processing Services) and enables users to make granular consent choices about what service uses, like cookies, they consent to, or not. This helps meet GDPR requirements.

Consent Mode is a tool provided by Google that enables websites to communicate users’ cookie consent choices to various Google tags that help measure website and advertising performance. The tool was initially used primarily for anonymized data tracking. However, its intent and use have evolved, and today it functions more as a signaling tool.

Consent Mode was updated to v2 in November 2023, and now website operators can better meet compliance requirements, integrate systems, and respect users’ consent choices automatically in line with regulatory requirements and those directly from Google that apply to third parties like advertisers.

Google Consent Mode can be used with a consent management platform (CMP) like Usercentrics CMP, or directly with the global site tag (gtag.js) or Google Tag Manager (GTM).

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into force on November 1, 2022, and is designed to impact competition — namely antitrust issues — consumer protection, and privacy in the digital sector by regulating large online platforms, aka the designated “gatekeepers”.

The DMA imposes restrictions on social networks, search engines, video-sharing platforms, operating systems, cloud computing services, and online advertising services owned by large digital corporations like Google, Facebook, and Amazon. Because they have a significant impact on the market, these gatekeepers are subject to specific obligations and restrictions to level the playing field for smaller businesses and protect user rights. For users, it enhances privacy by imposing new data restrictions and allowing them to uninstall preloaded applications.

Access all of our resources about the Digital Markets Act in our Resource Hub.

Google Consent Mode v2 supports:

• Google Analytics / Google Analytics 4
• Google Ads (Google Ads Conversion Tracking and Remarketing)
• Floodlight
• Conversion Linker

Around the world, more and more countries are passing data privacy laws, which protect the personal data and rights of the majority of the world’s population. Companies that do not comply with privacy laws and be fined large amounts, and experience penalties that can damage their businesses. Additionally, violations can result in loss of consumer trust and company reputation, which would also be damaging long-term.

More recently, influential digital platforms that many companies rely on for advertising, audience access, analytics, and more, are starting to levy data privacy requirements on the third-parties that use their platforms and services, in order to ensure compliance with privacy regulations. Companies not wanting to lose access to these vital services must adhere to the requirements.