Consent Management and Google's Consent V2 for Your Privacy

As a website curator/owner in the United Kingdom, I’m sure your first question would be…

“What even is Google Consent V2?“

Google Consent v2 is the continuation of Google’s consent policy, aimed at enhancing user privacy and transparency in online advertising practices. It requires that websites and apps utilising Google services should obtain explicit user consent before collecting and processing personal data for targeted advertising or personalised content.

This update to V1 emphasises clearer disclosures to users about data collection and usage, as well as providing more granular control over consent options. Google Consent v2 reflects the growing emphasis on user privacy rights and regulatory compliance, aligning with evolving data protection standards such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union.

Your second question is then probably going to be…

“Well if we aren’t part of the European Union do I even have to worry about implementing this European standard?“

If you have already implemented Google Consent V1 (which you probably should have already done as it is covered under GDPR even outside of the EU) then V2 is probably not going to be a huge step for you, depending on the Consent Management Platform that you are already using. If your platform is already one of the Certified CMP partners then you will already have the power to activate V2 at the flick of a switch.

So if it is that easy then why not give your user base peace of mind and activate it? If you haven’t got a CMP already then read on as you may have some work to do to ensure you are compliant at V1 level.

So what is a Consent management platform and where do I find one?

Imagine your online experience is like a bustling marketplace where various services and technologies want to interact with you. Some of these activities involve the collection and processing of your personal data. In the European Union, strict privacy regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), require businesses to obtain your explicit consent before they can engage in such data-related activities.

To manage and ensure compliance with these regulations, we use a Consent Management Platform (CMP). Think of it as your digital guardian that seeks your permission before allowing any data-related activities to happen. It puts you in control, ensuring your privacy preferences are respected across our online platforms.

Google has partnered up with some providers and they can be found here.

Remember look out for this logo with any CMP that you choose that way you will know that it is adhering to Google’s structure and be safe in the knowledge that your data is safe.

Implementation

Now if you manage your website yourself you can either download a plugin for your chosen solution or paste the JavaScript code into the head of your website (this will need to appear on every page, so if you have a header per page it needs to be implemented in all.). If you have a marketing manager they will probably already have a good understanding of the requirements and you should be good to go. If however you are stuck and need some help with implementing them you can always drop me an email or use the form on my contact page here.