Consent Mode
Privacy & TrackingDefinition
Google Consent Mode is a framework that adjusts how Google tags behave based on user consent choices. It enables privacy-compliant tracking by modifying data collection when users decline cookies, while using modeling to fill measurement gaps.
Consent Mode v2, required since March 2024 for EEA advertisers, introduces two additional signals: ad_user_data and ad_personalization, alongside analytics_storage and ad_storage. When a user declines, tags send cookieless pings. Google then models the missing conversions.
Without Consent Mode, advertisers face a binary choice: track everyone (violating GDPR) or lose all measurement for non-consenting users (losing 30-70% of conversion data in Europe). Consent Mode provides a compliant middle path.
Integrate your CMP with Google tags via Consent Mode API. When a user accepts, tags fire normally. When they decline, tags send limited pings (page URL, timestamp, user agent) without cookies. Google models conversions from these pings.
Consent Mode is mandatory for running Google Ads remarketing and conversion tracking in the EEA. Without it, you cannot build remarketing audiences or report conversions for EU users who decline cookies.
Related Terms
Related Services
Frequently Asked Questions
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For EEA advertisers using Google Ads or GA4, yes — since March 2024. Without it, Google restricts remarketing lists and conversion reporting for EU traffic.
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No. You still need a CMP to collect consent. Consent Mode is the technical bridge between your CMP and Google tags.
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Google claims modeled conversions are within 5% of actual. Accuracy improves with more consented users providing training data.
Struggling with consent and tracking?
We implement Consent Mode v2 with server-side tracking for accurate, compliant measurement.