As a business owner with a website, you need to take notice of Google's new Consent Mode v2 that rolled out on March 6th, 2024 for sites operating in the European Economic Area (EEA). This update has major implications for how you obtain and manage user consent for cookies and data processing.

The Requirements of Consent Mode v2 requires websites to properly communicate user consent preferences to Google before any requests involving personal data are made. This is vital for maintaining compliance with data privacy laws like GDPR.

Here are the key requirements your business needs to address:

Cookie Consent Notices

You must implement clear cookie consent banners that obtain explicit consent from users before any non-essential cookies are stored or accessed on their devices. Simply informing about cookies is no longer enough.

Data Processing Transparency
Provide detailed information upfront about what user data your website collects, how it is processed, and what is shared with Google for services like analytics or personalised advertising.

Separate Consent Categories

Allow users to provide separated consent for different processing purposes rather than an all-or-nothing approach. Common categories include analytics, advertising personalisation, marketing communications, etc. Basically, you need to give users the option to accept cookies, accept necessary cookies, or decline, you can't just give one choice or no choice if you want Google to keep tracking your data for analytical purposes.

What Your Business Needs to Do

1. Conduct an audit of your current cookie practices and data processing activities involving Google's services.

2. Work with your website developers to integrate new cookie consent banners and consent management processes.

3. Update your website privacy policy and notices to disclose the new consent requirements.

4. Implement processes for properly passing obtained consent signals to Google before data requests based on user preferences.

5. Be prepared to respect user consent choices by limiting data processing for rejected purposes.

6. Regularly maintain and update your consent management systems.

Why It Matters

Invest the time and resources now to bring your website into compliance. Prioritise user transparency and consent to continue leveraging Google's services and targeting capabilities for consenting users.

If you're a business that's smart enough to be tracking your analytics, if you're running Google ads, you need this/ Google will no longer collect data from site visitors without proper consent which means your data will be flawed. If you haven't implemented this change already, you might have noticed a dip in your analytics.

Consent Mode v2 represents a pivotal shift in ensuring you only process personal data legally with proper user consent. Don't let your business be caught non-compliant - take action immediately.