This article has been updated as of Jan 22. Google’s TCF grace period has now ended.

The Quantcast Choice CMP was sold to InMobi in 2023, and is now InMobi Choice CMP.

Since Google announced it would integrate with the IAB Europe’s Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) v2.0, the company has published additional requirements for publishers and advertisers to use Google products and has officially joined the IAB TCF v2.0 global vendor list (GVL). In a major step towards the adoption of the TCF v2.0, Google indicated that by mid-January, 2021 (the original date was November 13, 2020), ad requests would be dropped if a signal is incorrect in any way. Google no longer supports publishers on TCF v2.0 who fail to integrate under Google’s guidelines.

Publishers using a TCF v2.0 compliant CMP should fix any TCF errors with Google now, otherwise, ads will no longer be served on Google, which may have revenue implications. The Quantcast Choice team previously worked with Google to fix any technical issues throughout the grace period. Below you can find guidance on what you can do to make sure your business is protected if you still have TCF v2 errors with Google.

Look for errors from Google

Since Google began operating on TCF v2.0, many publishers have received error messages from Google, which has caused some confusion. To sort through some of these issues, we’ve created a guidance document to explain and help resolve the most common error codes. We know that these transitions can be complicated and we are here to help publishers adjust as smoothly as possible.

One of the most common errors we see with Quantcast Choice customers integrating with Google is Error 2.1a, which occurs when a CMP doesn’t return from the AddEventHandler within 500ms. A possible cause of this is that the CMP is waiting for user input. In this case, make sure to call Google’s API to refresh the ad request once consent has been given by the user.

It takes a community to stay on top of these types of issues, and our team has been hard at work on a solution for this error. You can learn more about how to fix Error 2.1a here. 

Make sure you have a valid TCF v2 signal

Now all publishers using the TCF v2.0 and operating with Google must have a valid TCF v2.0 signal for their ads to be served. If this is not implemented correctly, you could see your revenue take an immediate hit. We know that transitioning to TCF v2.0 and adopting Google’s privacy requirements can be a challenge and we are here to help. For those who haven’t yet prepared for Google’s TCF v2.0 requirement, it’s important to find a scalable, easy-to-use solution.

To get started, a publisher must implement a TCF v2.0 registered CMP, like Quantcast Choice, on their sites to integrate with the IAB TCF v2.0. Quantcast Choice will create and send the Transparency and Consent (TC) string, which Google’s ad tags and Software Development Kits (SDKs) will consume.

For Quantcast Choice customers, our default setting includes Google as an IAB vendor since Google is registered on the IAB Global Vendor List (GVL). If you use a customized vendor list instead of the default setting, please check the list to make sure Google is included.

Once you meet Google’s additional requirements, you’ll be able to support consent for Google’s additional vendors, and use all Google Ads products, e.g. Google Tag Manager, Ad Exchange, Ad Manager, etc.

We know how important it is to protect your ad revenues and make decisions based on consent. Quantcast can help you manage operational risk so you can focus on core areas like creating great content, improving user experience, and growing your business.