Nearly Every Google AdSense Publisher Must Comply With EU Cookie Consent, Not Just Those Based In The EU

Google has notified AdSense publishers that they must get “cookie consent” from site visitors from countries within the European Union to use their data. The change essentially affects any publisher running AdSense, not just those operating in or serving the European Union.

Google says the new user consent policy is in reaction to requests by European Union data protection authorities. “It has always been Google’s policy to comply with privacy laws, so we’ve agreed to make certain changes affecting our own products and partners using Google products,” Jason Woloz, Security & Privacy Program Manager for Display and Video Ads at Google, wrote in a blog post announcing the change.

“If your websites are getting visitors from any of the countries in the European Union, you must comply with the EU user consent policy. We recommend you start working on a policy-compliant user consent mechanism today. “

Any publishers getting traffic from EU countries — again, potentially any website based anywhere in the world — must comply with the so-called EU Cookie Law. To understand what’s required, Woloz recommends starting with the IAB Europe Guidance: Five Practical Steps to help companies comply with the E-Privacy Directive.

In an email, publishers were told they have until September 30, 2015, to comply with the new user consent requirements. Google also established CookieChoices.org as a resource for publishers.