Know Your Cookie Consent Requirements for Google Analytics



Google Analytics (GA) is a valuable tool for businesses as it helps collect insights on the customer journey, experience, and customer retention. The tool allows for making informed decisions that help with the growth of a business. Since GA deals with visitors’ data, it is subject to privacy regulations. Therefore, websites (or mobile apps) that use its services to capture insights on visitors from the EU countries must comply with the GDPR and ePrivacy Directive.  


In terms of cookie consent with Google Analytics, businesses should implement ways to inform website (or app) visitors of its use and respect their privacy consent. After all, GA is a third-party integration that uses cookies for collecting user information. 

 

Google Analytics: Yes, or No? 


GA is a statistical web analytics service that allows businesses to collect data from websites and apps to create visitor insights and customer behavior reports. It also provides tools that help businesses track website (or app) performance and understand their customers better.  

While implementing GA’s services can help boost the performance of websites (or apps) and accomplish your business goals, it can also raise privacy rights concerns.  

 

Does GA process Users’ data? 


Yes. GA processes the information (such as the number of pages visited by an individual on your website) and creates a comprehensive report for analysis.  


Google (and its wholly owned subsidiaries) may retain and use the information collected through a website’s (or app’s) use of Google Analytics. The information retained by GA on how businesses use it helps make the tool better by introducing new features or enhancing the existing ones. 


However, it does not use website (or app) visitors’ data.  


On its terms and Conditions page, Google states that: 


Google will not share Your Customer Data or any Third Party's Customer Data with any third parties unless Google (i) has Your consent for any Customer Data or any Third Party's consent for the Third Party's Customer Data; (ii) concludes that it is required by law or has a good faith belief that access, preservation or disclosure of Customer Data is reasonably necessary to protect the rights, property or safety of Google, its users or the public; or (iii) provides Customer Data in certain limited circumstances to third parties to carry out tasks on Google's behalf (e.g., billing or data storage) with strict restrictions that prevent the data from being used or shared except as directed by Google.  

 

Why do You need a Consent Management Platform (CMP) for Google Analytics? 


GA uses unique variants of the ‘_ga’ cookie specific to properties (such as ‘number of page visits per user, or ‘pages visited per user.’) Also, the ‘_ga’ cookies are ‘persistent’ and stay on user devices for two years.  


According to Google’s terms and conditions: 


You must disclose the use of Google Analytics and how it collects and processes data. This can be done by displaying a prominent link to the site, "How Google uses data when you use our partners' sites or apps.” You will use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that a User is provided with clear and comprehensive information about and consents to, the storing and accessing of cookies or other information on the User’s device where such activity occurs in connection with the Service and where providing such information and obtaining such consent is required by law. 


GA uses cookies for capturing data on websites (or mobile apps) on behalf of the business that implements its services. Therefore, a company must ensure authorization from the website (or app) visitors by implementing a Consent Management Policy.  


Anonymization in Google Analytics  


When using Google Analytics on websites (or mobile apps), you can activate the ‘anonymization’ feature, which allows masking the IP address of the visitors. Hiding the IP address disables the ability to identify individual visitors.  


Unless visitors consent for a website’s (or mobile app’s) GA use, the tool collects data without remembering the exact IP address. Thus, ensuring that the information stays anonymous and the privacy rights of the website (or app) users are not violated.  


Google Consent Mode 


Google Consent Mode allows websites and mobile apps to adjust the behavior of tracking cookies, tags, and scripts to user consent. Activating Google Consent mode will enable businesses to ensure that no cookies, tags, or similar tracking technologies are placed on user devices without prior notification and consent. 

 

However, Google Consent Mode only takes instructions from the website (or mobile app) that uses Google Analytics (or other Google services.)  

 

Therefore, businesses must implement a Consent Management Platform (CMP) that allows for collecting user consent. A CMP is helpful as it collects user consent and sends it to GA through the Google Consent Mode.  

 

How does a Consent Management Platform (CMP) ensure compliance with the GDPR? 


A CMP ensures your business’s compliance with GDPR by fulfilling the law’s guidelines. A CMP helps comply by: 

 

Collecting ‘valid’ user consent:  


A CMP helps check cookie compliance by placing consent banners on websites (or apps). Consent banners or forms enable collecting ‘freely given’ user consent.

  

Informing visitors about the use of Google Analytics:  


The cookie banner allows easy placement of important information on a business’s use of cookies and third-party services like GA.  


Since GDPR obligates companies to provide website and app visitors with detailed information, placing clear and accessible banners makes sense! 

 

Auto-cookie Blocking  


The auto-cookie blocking feature prevents unauthorized cookie placement on user devices. Thus, cookies will activate only if the individuals consent to data collection and processing through a cookie banner.  

 

Offering an easy opt-out:  


Cookie banner services from an effective CMP enable websites (and apps) to offer easy opt-out visitors to withdraw consent for a company’s use of GA services. A clickable button on the cookie banner and a link to the information upon using Google Analytics is a way to comply with the GDPR. 


Respecting User consent: 


The GDPR mandates that businesses not use cookies or third-party services (that use cookies) without prior consent from website or mobile app visitors. A CMP allows employing or dismissing cookie use in response to user consent. Thus, it will enable businesses to use third-party services like GA while ensuring GDPR compliance. 

 

Adzapier CMP: Ensuring Data Privacy and GDPR Compliance! 


Adzapier CMP is an essential integration for businesses using GA’s services to collect customer behavior insights. Here are a few reasons why you should consider Adzapier CMP for your websites and mobile apps: 


The consent management system integrates with Google Consent Mode. 

 

  • Visitors who disapprove of the website’s (or app’s) use of Google Analytics to collect information give consent through forms or banners created with a CMP. 

  • The CMP collects user consent (acceptance or denial), and Google Consent Mode transfers this information to GA.  

  • Google Analytics will, thus, not load tracking ‘_g’ cookies, tags, or scripts on the user device (smartphone, PC, tablet.) 


Allows Banner Customization. 


With Adzapier’s consent manager, you can create cookie consent banners that match your website’s (or mobile app) design and style. It gives control over the banner placement on websites and mobile apps. So, businesses can ensure visibility of the banner.

 

Compliance on-the-go. 


Apart from the impressive Google consent mode integration, Adzapier CMP offers a fast and precise cookie tool. The GDPR requires businesses to inform individuals about what cookies they use and how many cookies they intend to use. Therefore, identifying different kinds of cookies on a website (or mobile app) is essential.  


For GDPR compliance, it is also crucial that websites and apps disclose information about third-party integrations like Google Analytics to visitors.  

 

Adzapier offers precise solutions for one of the most pressing concerns of online businesses that deal with EU customers: data privacy management. Its cookie consent solution is ideal for companies that need full GDPR, CCPA, CPRA, and VCDPA compliance. Visit the website to learn more about Adzapier CMP.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location: 27547 Co Hwy P, Kendall, WI 54638, USA

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