If you are a publisher (blogger, or a bigger publisher) and you happen to use Google AdSense, DoubleClick for Publishers, or DoubleClick Ad Exchange, you have likely received mail by the Google Policy Team. Emphasis was added by me:
Dear Publisher, We want to let you know about a new policy about obtaining EU end-users’ consent that reflects regulatory and best practice guidance. It clarifies your duty to obtain end-user consent when you use products like Google AdSense, DoubleClick for Publishers, and DoubleClick Ad Exchange. Please review our new EU user consent policy as soon as possible.
This requires that you obtain EU end users’ consent to the storing and accessing of cookies and other information, and to the data collection, sharing, and usage that takes place when you use Google products. It does not affect any provisions on data ownership in your contract. Please ensure that you comply with this policy as soon as possible, and not later than 30th September 2015. If your site or app does not have a compliant consent mechanism, you should implement one now. To make this process easier for you, we have compiled some helpful resources at cookiechoices.org. This policy change is being made in response to best practice and regulatory requirements issued by the European data protection authorities. These requirements are reflected in changes recently made on Google’s own websites. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation. Regards, The Google Policy Team
Google has also released blog posts announcing the consent policy change for AdSense and resource heavy sites such as EU consent policy FAQs and Google cookie choices.
What does Google’s “EU user consent policy” mean for my site?
Let’s see what Google’s EU user consent policy says:
1. Are you using a product that incorporates the EU user consent policy?
When using Google products that incorporate this policy, certain disclosures must be given to and consents obtained from end users in the European Union where EU data protection law requires such disclosures and consents.
Most notably publishers who use Google AdSense, DoubleClick for Publishers, or DoubleClick Ad Exchange must now add disclosures and consent solutions to their sites.
For end users in the European Union:
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You must use commercially reasonable efforts to disclose clearly, and obtain consent to, any data collection, sharing and usage that takes place on any site, app, email publication or other property as a consequence of your use of Google products; and
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You must use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that an end user is provided with clear and comprehensive information about, and consents to, the storing and accessing of cookies or other information on the end user’s device where such activity occurs in connection with a product to which this policy applies.
2. Disclosure and potentially consent for any data collection
The EU user consent policy is telling you to outline your data collection that is occurring as a consequence of your use of the aforementioned Google products. This is what you usually do with a privacy policy.
3. Disclosure and potentially consent for cookie usage
The EU user consent policy is telling you to provide sufficient information and potentially prior consent to the cookies that are being stored as a consequence of the usage of the Google products.
How can I become compliant with the Google-EU user consent policy?
There are a host of services out there which will help with parts for the cookie consent problem, some of which are also outlined in this Google resource.
Iubenda offers a very complete EU user consent solution along with its privacy policy generator. With iubenda you can:
- You can generate a customized privacy & cookie policy autonomously in a few seconds
- You can show on your website a fully customizable cookie banner, as required by Google’s EU user consent policy in order to alert your users about the cookies you’re using (e.g. the Google AdSense cookies)
- You can block your cookies before collecting your users’ consent
- You can detect and store your users’ consent
You should try iubenda, the basic privacy policy can be generated for free.
Read how to comply with Google’s new European cookie law policy
