Microsoft UET Consent Mode is a solution that allows you to track and measure conversions on your website while respecting user consent preferences. It adjusts how tracking works based on whether users have granted or declined consent for cookies and tracking technologies, supporting privacy compliance with data privacy regulations such as the GDPR. It is relevant for companies doing business in the EEA/EU, the UK, and/or Switzerland that need to achieve GDPR and Microsoft compliance.

Universal Event Tracking (UET) is a key feature provided by Microsoft Advertising that allows you to track valuable actions users take on your website, such as purchases, sign-ups, and page visits. By integrating the UET tag on your site, you can gain insights into how users interact with your content after clicking on your ads. This tool helps optimize your campaigns for better performance and conversions. Additionally, UET enables advanced capabilities like remarketing, allowing you to re-engage visitors with personalized ads, maximizing the impact of your advertising efforts.

Microsoft Consent Mode is essential for keeping your ad campaigns compliant with privacy laws like the GDPR and CCPA. It enables you to continue tracking conversions and gaining insights from ads while respecting users’ consent preferences about data collection. You can continue using Microsoft Advertising services, and the compliance helps you avoid legal penalties while building trust with your audience.

If a user declines to consent, Microsoft UET will still send anonymized data (such as ad interaction timestamps and limited data signals) but will not track detailed information or set tracking cookies. You’ll still receive basic data about ad clicks and conversions, but it will be aggregated and less precise.

Microsoft UET Consent Mode works by adapting the behavior of tracking tags based on the user’s consent status. When a user visits your website, the Consent Mode detects whether they have agreed to or declined the use of cookies and other tracking technologies. 

If the user consents, Microsoft UET functions normally, collecting and sending full tracking data, including personal data for ad targeting, conversion tracking, and remarketing.

If the user declines to consent, Microsoft UET enters a restricted mode, sending anonymized and aggregated data (such as pings) without using cookies or other identifiers that could store personal information. This allows you to continue receiving basic reporting metrics (e.g., ad clicks or conversions) without violating privacy laws like the GDPR or CCPA.

In essence, Microsoft UET Consent Mode helps maintain valuable insights from your campaigns while facilitating legal compliance and respecting user privacy.

Cookiebot CMP has built in support for UET, but for full support of Consent Mode, you need to add a small code snippet to your website. Follow these steps for the full setup.

Using a consent management platform on your website can help you obtain the granular and GDPR compliant consent from your end-users that your website needs to activate its cookies and trackers. Through a consent banner on your website, users will be able to filter their selection of cookies and give specific consent to their purpose, provider, and duration.

Try Cookiebot CMP free for 14 days… or forever if you have a small website.

Microsoft UET Consent Mode is designed to help advertisers align with privacy regulations like the GDPR and CCPA. By adjusting how data is collected based on user consent, it gives businesses the tools they need to operate in a compliant manner while still maintaining valuable insights from advertising campaigns. However, full compliance depends on how the tool is implemented and integrated into your overall data privacy practices.

Microsoft compliance is offered by Microsoft through its suite of tools and services within platforms like Microsoft 365 and Azure. These solutions help businesses meet data privacy regulations by providing features such as data encryption, audit logs, compliance reporting, and privacy controls. These tools are designed to ensure secure data handling and regulatory compliance for organizations of all sizes.