What you need to know to comply with Google’s consent requirements in Switzerland

Google checklist: your toolkit for compliance with the new consent requirements in Switzerland

As Google expands its EU user consent policy to include Switzerland, it’s crucial for Swiss businesses to stay informed and become or maintain compliance. Our exclusive checklist provides a clear roadmap to understand the new requirements and provides actionable steps to achieve compliance before the 31 July 2024 deadline. 

Who this checklist is for

• Digital marketers: Understand the compliance requirements for transparent and user-controlled data processing for targeted ads.
• Publishing managers: Implement compliant consent management practices and provide transparency in data processing for content monetization.
• Ad operations managers: Understand the implications of the expanded policy on ad serving and audience targeting. Align your online advertising strategy accordingly.
• Compliance managers or legal counsel: Guide your organization to effectively adopt Google’s expanded policy requirements.
• IT and data security specialists: Gain insights into the technical aspects of user consent and data processing, aligning with compliance requirements for data protection.
• Business owners and entrepreneurs: Enable compliance for your business’s online activities with the expanded EU user consent policy to safeguard user privacy.

Why you should download our Google checklist

• Stay informed: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the expanded Google EU user consent policy and its implications for businesses marketing to Swiss audiences.
• Simplify compliance: Get actionable steps and guidance to comply with the new requirements easily and effectively.
• Future-proof your strategy: Anticipate potential developments and stay ahead of evolving data privacy and consent management standards.

❓When is Google’s deadline?

✅ Enforcement starts 31 July 2024.

❓What regions are included in the requirements?

✅ Online users residing in Switzerland to whom companies target advertising.

❓What are the new requirements?

✅ Businesses using Google advertising and/or monetization products are required to obtain Swiss users’ consent for the use of cookies or other local storage where legally required, as well as for the collection, sharing, and use of personal data for the personalization of ads.

❓Do the new requirements apply to all publishers and advertisers targeting Swiss traffic?

✅ No. The new Google consent requirements in Switzerland mandate the use of a Google-certified CMP that fully supports the Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) for publishers.

✅ For advertisers that don’t monetize their platforms with digital ads, the only requirement is to obtain consent from Swiss users where legally required.

❓What are the requirements for verifiable consent under Google’s EU user consent policy?

✅ Based on existing requirements from regulations like the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP), which is compatible with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The main requirements for third parties using Google services:

• legally valid consent must be obtained from end users for:
  • use of cookies or other local storage where legally required

and

• collection, sharing, and use of personal data for ad personalization
• when requesting end-user consent, parties must:
  • retain records of users’ consent
  • enable end users to revoke consent at any time
  • provide clear instructions to revoke consent

❓What Google services are included in the requirements?

✅ Google’s advertising platforms or services, like AdSense, AdMob, Ad Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, or Google Marketing Platform.

✅ Personalization features on these platforms.

❓I am a publisher. What do I need to do to become compliant?

✅ Implement a Google-certified Consent Management Platform (CMP) for the TCF, such as Cookiebot CMP.

✅ Activate the Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) v2.2 on your CMP.

✅ Use your CMP to obtain prior consent from users to collect their personal data for advertising purposes.

✅ Consider implementing the latest version of Google Consent Mode for additional marketing benefits.

❓I am an advertiser. What do I need to do to become compliant?

✅ Obtain consent from Swiss users where legally required.

💡 For now, you’re not expected to send a verified consent signal for Swiss traffic through Google Consent Mode — a requirement already in force for EU/EEA audiences — but this may change in the future.

❓How do I collect valid consent with Cookiebot CMP?

✅ Start with one of Cookiebot CMP’s user-friendly templates, or fully customize your banner design and messaging. 

✅Set up the CMP for all regulations relevant to your business. 

✅ The Cookiebot CMP consent banner enables users on websites to record their consent preference for use of their personal data with the click of a button. 

✅ Website users can also revoke consent or update their preferences at any time. 

✅ Consent information is securely stored in the event of an audit or data subject access request.

❓How does Cookiebot CMP integrate with the IAB TCF 2.2?

Cookiebot CMP integrates with the IAB’s Transparency and Consent Framework 2.2 via an extra panel in the consent banner of websites registered with the IAB. From Ad Settings, end users can  choose between IAB Purposes and Vendors before submitting their consent.

❓How do you set up Cookiebot CMP with Google Consent Mode?

1. Create an account and add your domain.
2. Select and customize your banner.
3. Implement the code into your website. Done!

For detailed instructions on how to set up and implement the Cookiebot^TM consent banner with the IAB TCF v2.2 integration enabled, check our documentation.

❓Is Google Consent Mode v2 implementation included in the new requirements?

✅ Not for now.

✅ You should consider implementing Consent Mode v2 for additional marketing benefits, such as analytics and conversion modeling. It also helps you avoid losing marketing data due to users declining consent.

Get Cookiebot CMP to achieve compliance with Google’s CMP requirements in Switzerland

By using Cookiebot CMP IAB Framework (TCF v2.2) integration as your website’s consent management platform, you can ensure compliance with Google’s new consent requirements for Swiss traffic.

With Cookiebot CMP, advertisers and publishers can also ensure compliant data collection and processing across the board.