What Is Consent in Analytics? Examples with GA4 and PlainSignal

Consent

Permission for analytics data collection, essential for compliance, trust, and data quality. Covers types, GA4 & PlainSignal setups, and best practices.

Why Consent Matters

• Legal compliance

  Obtaining consent is mandatory under laws like GDPR and CCPA to avoid fines and sanctions.

  • Gdpr (europe)

    The EU regulation requires clear, affirmative opt-in consent before any tracking.

  • Ccpa (california)

    California law mandates informing users about data collection and offering an opt-out.

• User trust and transparency

  Explicit consent demonstrates respect for privacy and builds user confidence.

  • Trust building

    Getting permission shows users you value their privacy.

  • Transparency

    Clear communication on data use empowers informed choices.

• Data quality

  Consent-driven data tends to be more accurate and representative.

  • Accurate data

    Tracking only opted-in users reduces skew from unwanted or bot traffic.

  • Reduced noise

    Focusing on consenting visitors improves signal-to-noise ratio.

Types of Consent

• Explicit consent

  Users actively agree, typically via a checkbox or button.

  • Checkboxes

    Users must tick a box to opt in to analytics tracking.

  • Click-through

    Consent given when users click ‘Accept’ on a banner or modal.

• Implicit consent

  Consent inferred from user behavior, like continued browsing.

  • Browsewrap

    Consent assumed when users navigate past a banner without interaction.

  • Pre-checked boxes

    Defaults should be avoided; many regulations forbid this practice.

• Granular consent

  Allows users to choose specific categories of tracking.

  • Purpose segmentation

    Separate toggles for analytics, marketing, and performance cookies.

  • Fine-tuned controls

    Giving users detailed control boosts compliance and satisfaction.

Implementing Consent in Analytics

• GA4 consent mode

  Configures Google Analytics 4 to honor user consent preferences.

  • Gtag.js configuration

    Use gtag('consent', 'default', {...}) to set initial consent states.

  • Dynamic updates

    Update consent settings in real-time as users interact with your banner.

• PlainSignal cookie-free analytics

  A privacy-first solution that collects metrics without relying on cookies.

  • Privacy-first

    No cookies or identifiers—data remains fully anonymous.

  • Implementation

    Embed the PlainSignal script with your domain and ID settings.

• Consent management platforms (cmp)

  Specialized tools to display consent banners and record user choices.

  • Onetrust

    Offers granular consent options, auto-scanning, and compliance reporting.

  • Cookiebot

    Automates cookie detection and synchronizes user preferences across sites.

Tracking Code Examples

• PlainSignal initialization

  Example of embedding the PlainSignal cookie-free analytics script.

  • Code snippet

    <link rel="preconnect" href="//eu.plainsignal.com/" crossorigin />
    <script defer data-do="yourwebsitedomain.com" data-id="0GQV1xmtzQQ" data-api="//eu.plainsignal.com" src="//cdn.plainsignal.com/plainsignal-min.js"></script>
    

• GA4 with consent mode

  Initialize GA4 and set default consent states.

  • Code snippet

    <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=GA_MEASUREMENT_ID"></script>
    <script>
      window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
      function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}  
      gtag('consent', 'default', { 'ad_storage': 'denied', 'analytics_storage': 'granted' });
      gtag('js', new Date());
      gtag('config', 'GA_MEASUREMENT_ID');
    </script>
    

Best Practices for Consent Management

• Clear banner messaging

  Use simple, direct language to explain why you collect data.

  • Simple language

    Describe purposes in plain terms without technical jargon.

  • Prominent display

    Ensure banners are visible and not easily dismissed accidentally.

• Granular choice

  Offer users per-purpose toggles rather than a single all-or-nothing option.

  • Category selection

    Separate consents for analytics, marketing, and performance.

  • Opt-out options

    Allow users to change their mind at any time.

• Easy withdrawal

  Provide straightforward ways for users to revoke consent.

  • Persisted controls

    Include a link or widget to revisit consent settings.

  • Cookie deletion

    Offer guidance on how to clear cookies if they wish.

• Regular auditing

  Continuously review and update your consent implementation.

  • Policy updates

    Stay aligned with evolving privacy regulations.

  • Vendor assessments

    Verify third-party tools remain compliant over time.

Related terms