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Google Consent Mode (GCM)


NEW

Restricting tags and scripts to execute only when consent is granted can lead to data loss, as some users may deny consent or not make a choice at all.

To balance performance with compliance, Google introduced Google Consent Mode (GCM). It applies only to Google tags (e.g., Google Analytics, Google Ads) and offers two modes:

Basic Mode

HOW DOES IT WORK? Google tags fire only when consent is granted. If a visitor denies consent, the tags do not load at all.

This approach collects less data but is the safest option for GDPR compliance.

Advanced Mode

HOW DOES IT WORK? Google tags fire regardless of consent but adjust their behaviour accordingly. If a visitor has not consented yet or has denied cookies, Google tags still fire, but they communicate to Google that consent was not granted. Google then limits or models the data, anonymising certain signals and removing identifying information.

This approach provides more data but is riskier from a GDPR perspective.

You must choose one mode and stick to it across your implementation.

Your choice of mode is implemented through Google Tag Manager triggers and other settings. You can learn more about the implementation in this guide.

Consent signals are communicated to Google through Default & Update commands.

Default command: Defines the initial consent state.

Update command: Adjusts consent state once the user makes a choice.

By default, a new Cookifi property does not generate the Default command. To enable it, click the Google icon next to the Integration script:

Cookifi - GCM Default command button

However, Cookifi does send the Update command by default. You can enable or disable it in the Regions settings:

Cookifi - GCM Update command button