Why you need a consent management platform (CMP)

We’re well and truly in the privacy era. Over the last few years, we’ve seen the advent of Apple’s ATT framework alongside Google’s consent mode and upcoming Privacy Sandbox on Android, as well as a host of global data privacy standards, including:

• Europe’s GDPR and more recent Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act
• India’s DPDP
• California’s CCPA
• New Jersey’s S332
• Brazil’s LGPD

Privacy laws and regulations govern the processing and storage of personal data, giving more power to users when it comes to remaining in control of their digital footprints.

Globally, businesses collecting and managing personal data are responsible for presenting users with privacy statements and options, and collecting consent to maintain this data where necessary. Increasingly, as a way to remain on top of these critical workflows, businesses are using consent management platforms (CMPs) to streamline consent collection, processing, retention, and deletion.

For mobile publishers serving Google ads to users in the European Economic Area (EEA) or the U.K., a CMP has become a requirement rather than a nice-to-have. Since January 2024, Google has mandated the use of CMP–when serving ads to users in these European areas, publishers using Google AdSense, Ad Manager, or AdMob will be required to use a CMP that has been certified by Google and has integrated with the IAB's Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF).

A CMP allows app developers to outsource consent management and make sure that they can run their apps smoothly while respecting the privacy preferences of their end users. CMPs will often provide clients with privacy settings templates to use, to make the process of collecting consent as simple as possible for both the business and the end user.

Consent should fit seamlessly into the user experience–what you don’t want is a privacy message that drives users away from your app. Providing a seamless experience in handling privacy messaging and consent generation is exactly what a CMP, based on their experience, can do for app marketers.

Usually, where partners (e.g. advertising partners) are involved, the CMP shares the relevant consent information with partners via an SDK, to ensure that these partners can determine whether or not consent has been provided and act accordingly.

Let’s dive into some of the key benefits of CMPs.

• Easily customizable consent messages: By remaining in control of the look and feel of the consent messages displayed to users, you can ensure they are reflective of your brand.
• Management of cross-device consent to avoid consent fatigue: For example, a known user opts out on a mobile site, so when the same known user accesses the brand via CTV, their preference is carried across and no additional messaging is necessary.
• Expertise in global privacy standards: CMPs will guide you when it comes to the nuanced privacy requirements of delivering content to distinct countries, blocks of countries, US states, etc. CMPs not only have privacy and policy legislation expertise, they also help you to keep on top of changes to requirements (which happen frequently). CMPs remain up to date with the latest happenings on your behalf, meaning you can focus resources on maintaining your app.

Adjust is able to integrate with any CMPs clients may be working with. This means that if you have a CMP, we're able to receive the consent data from them–but this data can also be sent to us directly. For clients working with Google’s ad networks, we highly recommend that CMPs are verified by Google.

We collect all campaign data–if you connect us with your CMP, we can make sure that measurement and data-sharing is completely in line with end users' preferences, taking this additional responsibility out of the hands of your app developers.

Through any and all privacy requirements, regulations, and changes, Adjust is always ready to strategically partner with our clients. We’re committed to staying ahead of industry changes and aiding clients in navigating evolving privacy requirements.

For more information on gathering user consent, and how Adjust enables this, get in touch with your contact person today or request a demo.