Google tightens EU consent rules for Customer Match ads

Google Ads is updating its EU user consent policy, affecting advertisers using Customer Match lists for ad personalization in the European Economic Area (EEA).

The big picture. This change aligns with increasing privacy regulations in Europe and Google’s efforts to ensure compliance.

Why it matters. Advertisers must now explicitly pass granted consent signals to Google to continue using Customer Match for personalized advertising in the EEA.

Why we care. This update puts more responsibility on advertisers to collect and transmit user consent, potentially impacting campaign reach and effectiveness.

How it works. Advertisers have four options to pass consent signals:

• Google Ads API
• Partner and Audience Partner API
• Manual input in Audience Manager (Google Ads UI)
• Conversion-based Customer lists (requires Consent Mode enabled)

First seen. This update was first seen on Thomas Eccel’s X post:

What’s next. Advertisers targeting EEA users need to implement one of these consent signal methods to maintain their Customer Match capabilities.

Bottom line. Failing to adapt to these new consent requirements could result in limited ad personalization options for EEA audiences.