How Google’s latest consent changes affect marketers, and what you need to do

You’ll soon see this message in Google Ads

If you haven’t seen it already, this is a screenshot of the message Google is sending out to advertisers.

The message prompts you to select which services Google can share consented data that you’ve collected from users. You can change these settings now, but “selections on this page will take effect when the Digital Markets Act becomes enforceable” – on March 7.

You can review these settings in Google Ads, Google Analytics or Tag Manager.

This is part of Google’s response to the enforcement of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). Among other things, the new regulations limit Google’s ability to share user data between services without their consent.

This includes getting consent from people who visit your website before Google can target them with personalised ads, such as remarketing campaigns. So, as of March 7, Google needs consent from you – and your website visitors – to share their data between different services like Search and Google Ads.

You should see a notification in Google Ads prompting you to review settings labelled “Manage data use across Google services”. At the top of the settings page, you’ll see the following message:

The message also includes a link to learn more about what is changing under DMA. If you haven’t received this message or can’t see the notification in Google Ads, follow our instructions at the bottom of this article.

What is the Digital Markets Act (DMA)?

The Digital Markets Act is an EU regulation framework intended to prevent large companies like Google “imposing unfair conditions” on businesses and users.

In September 2023, the European Commission designated six companies as “gatekeepers” under the DMA: Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, ByteDance (TikTok), Meta (Facebook) and Microsoft. Essentially, the DMA aims to stop companies like Google forcing smartphone manufacturers to use Android and Android users the Chrome browser.

A new browser selection screen allows users to choose their preferred browser when setting up new Android devices.

The DMA also prevents gatekeepers from transferring user data between services without their consent. For example, Meta will allow EU users to unlink their Facebook and Instagram accounts, in response to the regulations. Meanwhile, Google will allow users in the EEA to choose which services share their data – and this is where advertisers need to pay attention.

Note: Only the six “gatekeeper” companies defined by the DMA are responsible for adhering to the regulation – so you face no legal responsibility here (unlike GDPR). That being said, Google’s response to the DMA does affect marketers and advertisers using its services and you do have to take steps.

How does the DMA affect marketers & advertisers?

The DMA affects marketers and advertisers in two key ways:

1. It makes personalised ad targeting and measurement less effective for EU users (without consent)
2. Advertisers need to get consent from website visitors for Google to use their data for ad targeting (eg: remarketing)

The DMA prevents companies like Google from sharing (EU) user data between different services without user consent. This means Google can no longer take EU users’ YouTube data and share this with its advertising services to deliver personalised ads – without explicit consent.

Under the DMA, gatekeepers have to unlink their services by default and can only share data between them if users provide consent. Google has already started asking users whether they want to keep their Google services link in an attempt to gain consent before the DMA is enforceable on March 7.

As things stand, the services implicated include:

• Google Search
• YouTube
• Ad services
• Google Play
• Chrome
• Google Shopping
• Google Maps

The first implication for advertisers is that EU users who don’t provide consent will be harder to target with personalised ads. Without consent, Google’s ad targeting won’t be able to show consumer tech ads to a user because they watched the latest iPhone unboxing on YouTube. As a result, the DMA will make ad targeting and measurement less reliable for any companies targeting users in the EU.

The other implication is that advertisers also collect personal data for their campaigns. For example, remarketing campaigns rely on collecting and using the data of users who visit your website. This means, you also need to collect visitors’ consent via DMA-compliant methods for Google to share this data between Search and its ad services.

Again, you don’t face any legal responsibility here but failing to get consent correctly will prevent Google from transferring the data you need.

What do advertisers & marketers need to do about the DMA?

Google requires you to collect user consent for data sharing between its services for any of the following:

• Websites: Tags that send data to Google.
• Apps: SDKs that send data to Google.
• Data uploads: Tools to upload data from non-Google sources, such as offline conversion imports or store sales.

If you’re using data from one Google service (eg: Analytics) to perform actions in another (eg: Google Ads), you need to collect user consent in a DMA-compliant manner – otherwise, Google can’t perform the required data exchange.

To do this, you need to complete the following steps:

1. Set up a consent banner: You need to integrate a consent banner on your website/app compatible with Google’s consent mode and compliant with EU regulations (DMA and GDPR).
2. Implement consent mode v2: Implement the latest version of consent mode (v2) so that Google can verify DMA-compliant consent and share data.
3. Manage data use across Google services: Select which services Google can use data between (make your selections before the Digital Markets Act is enforced on March 7).

The easiest way to complete these steps is to use a Google-certified consent management platform (CMP). A CMP helps you implement GDPR and DMA-compliant consent banners on your web properties and certified platforms make it easy to enable consent mode v2.

Alternatively, you can develop your consent banners and manage consent parameters yourself. Just make sure you follow the official developer guidelines for everything to work. You’ll also need to make sure your consent banner and management system comply with GDPR and other data privacy regulations.

The easiest way to complete these steps is to use a Google-certified consent management platform (CMP). A CMP helps you implement GDPR and DMA-compliant consent banners on your web properties and certified platforms make it easy to enable consent mode v2. Alternatively, you can develop your consent banners and manage consent parameters yourself. Just make sure you follow the official developer guidelines for everything to work.

You’ll also need to make sure your consent banner and management system comply with GDPR and other data privacy regulations.

To manage data use across Google services, log in to your Google Ads account and select Tools > Data manager in the right-hand menu. Under Google tag, select Manage and click the Show more tab at the bottom of the Settings section.

In the expanded Settings tab, select Manage data across Google services.

On the next page, you’ll see All Google services (recommended) is selected.

To restrict data exchanges, click on Select Google services and deselect any service you don’t want consented data shared between.

If you do this before March 7, nothing will change immediately – again, your selections on this page will take effect when the Digital Markets Act becomes enforced .

Need help managing user consent for Google Ads?

Google’s infrastructure means advertisers have to pick up some of the burden in its response to the DMA. Without the proper collection and management of user consent, features like remarketing will no longer function properly in campaigns targeting EU users.

If you need help implementing a consent system that keeps data moving in the right direction, we have a specialist Google Consent Mode service that can help. Call us on 02392 830281 or send us your details so we can call you back.