From 31 July 2024, partners using Google advertising products will be required to obtain Swiss users’ consent to the use of cookies or other local storage, where legally required; and the collection, sharing and use of personal data for personalization of ads.
To comply with the EU User Consent Policy, partners using our publisher products — Google AdSense, Ad Manager, or AdMob — will be required to use a certified CMP that integrates with the TCF when serving ads to users in Switzerland, in addition to the EEA and the UK.
Beginning January 16, 2024, publishers and developers using Google AdSense, Ad Manager, or AdMob will be required to use a Consent Management Platform (CMP) that has been certified by Google and has integrated with the IAB's Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) when serving ads to users in the European Economic Area or the UK.
Review the following information to understand these new requirements, the timing of these changes, and what publishers can do to prepare.
New IAB TCF requirement
Publishers will need to ensure they are working with a Google-certified CMP when serving ads to users in the European Economic Area (EEA), the UK, or Switzerland. Google-certified CMPs are assessed by Google against Google certification criteria focused on TCF compliance. If publishers using the TCF also work with ad technology providers that are not registered with the TCF, Google supports that today—through our Additional Consent specification—and will continue to do so. Our CMP assessments will check that CMPs supporting our Additional Consent specification can do so correctly. Successful review of a CMP against the Google-certification criteria will make that CMP available in our list of Google-certified CMPs. Google does not check CMPs for full compliance with the TCF or applicable privacy laws.
Additionally, please note the following:
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Fallback behavior: If a partner does not adopt a certified CMP, only programmatic limited ads will be eligible to serve in the EEA, the UK, and/or Switzerland. Traffic using a certified CMP will continue to be eligible for personalized ads or non-personalized ads (NPA).
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CTV inventory: Earlier this year, we shared that a certified CMP would also be required for CTV inventory, with enforcement planned for July 2024.
In light of publisher feedback about the challenges of implementing the TCF in a CTV environment, we are granting an enforcement extension until July 2025. Please note that regulatory requirements around privacy and consent frequently develop, so we may need to revisit this extension prior to July 2025 if necessary. As such, we continue to encourage our CTV partners to adopt a certified CMP as soon as they are able.
If you work with an existing CMP that is not included on the following list of Google-certified CMPs, please contact your CMP to understand if they intend to be certified.
Guide to the information in this list
- Certified CMP: The name of the Google-certified CMP.
- TCF CMP ID: The unique identifier assigned to a TCF-validated CMP by the IAB.
- Platform: The environments in which the CMP offers support and in which Google has certified the CMP.
List of Google-certified CMPs
Beginning February 1, 2024, we will begin enforcing new consent management requirements for partners using our Search Ads publisher products (AdSense for Search, AdSense for Domains or Programmable Search Engine). Publishers may meet those requirements by implementing a certified CMP that integrates with IAB Europe’s Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) to collect consent when serving ads to users in the European Economic Area (EEA) or the UK.
Once enforcement begins, if you send our Search Ads publisher products an ad request for EEA or UK traffic, and it does not use a Google-certified TCF CMP, the product will serve ads only if you have implemented a new parameter in your ad request that indicates that you wish to allow ads that use an invalid traffic-only cookie & local storage on both consented and unconsented traffic. Partners are legally responsible for the tools they use to gather consent, including consent for how they use cookies & local storage in online advertising. Implementing this parameter is optional. You should consider whether to implement the new parameter, taking into account legal advice, relevant regulations and applicable regulator guidance. You can learn more about implementing the new parameter called "ivt" via the AdSense Custom Search Ads for Web developer site, beginning January 10, 2024.
Partners who choose to implement the new parameter instead of a certified CMP may see a decrease in their EEA and UK revenue. If neither a Google-certified TCF CMP nor the new parameter is present, then our Search Ads publisher products will not serve any ads. As a reminder, as of November 2023, we have begun the process of no longer serving personalized ads.
Timeline
- May 2023 and onward: Google has begun the process of certifying CMPs that work with our publishing partners. Google will work with CMPs to certify them against the certification criteria.
- Beginning January 16, 2024: In addition to our EU user consent policy, publishers and developers using Google AdSense, Ad Manager, or AdMob will be required to use a Consent Management Platform (CMP) that has been certified by Google and has integrated with the IAB's Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) when serving ads to users in the European Economic Area or the UK. We will follow up with more details regarding timing.
- Beginning February 1, 2024: Enforcement of new CMP requirements will begin for publishers using Search Ads publisher products (Adsense for Search, Adsense for Domains and Programmable Search Engine). Review the Consent management requirements for Search Ads publishers (AFS/AFD/ProSE) section above and this announcement for additional information.
Next steps
- Publishers already working with a CMP: To ensure a smooth transition, publishers currently working with a CMP should proactively talk with their provider about the certification process.
- Publishers with their own CMP: Publishers who have their own CMPs can register their interest in completing certification for their CMP. Learn more about CMP certification
- Publishers who need to find a CMP: For publishers seeking a new CMP partner, they can consider the list of Google-certified CMPs above. We will regularly add other CMPs as they become certified.
- Publishers using Google’s Privacy & messaging European regulations messages: We encourage publishers to consider which CMP solution is best for them. To support publishers, the European regulations message available to Ad Manager, AdSense, and AdMob publishers in the Privacy & messaging tab are certified in accordance with the new TCF requirement. Learn more about Privacy & Messaging GDPR support and integration with TCF
- App publishers: In addition to the features above, Google offers app publishers the User Messaging Platform (UMP) SDK. Learn more about adding the Google User Messaging Platform (UMP) SDK to your apps (Ad Manager, AdMob) and creating a European regulations message for apps (Ad Manager, AdMob).
