A consent management platform (CMP) is a system or process designed to manage the consent to cookies on a website or app. In accordance with GDPR and ePrivacy regulations, it is essential to block cookie scripts from running until user consent is obtained. This consent must be informed and active, requiring specific disclosures to be made to the user before seeking consent. Additionally, the user must take explicit action to demonstrate their consent.

Consent Management Platforms (CMPs) play a vital role in handling this consent collection process and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations. More specifically, CMPs help you gather, store, and use users’ preferences to collect and process their personal information for specific purposes (e.g., analytics, advertising, and retargeting strategies).

A consent management platform works at different levels: global compliance, user interface for consent collection, consent storage and management, integration with other systems, consent updates and withdrawal, reporting and analytics.

In more detail, a consent management platform displays a valid and region-based consent notice to users upon their first visit on your site, detailing data collection types and purposes, and offers detailed consent customization options. It enables users to update or withdraw consent anytime. User preferences are securely stored, with a unique session identifier tracking consent across the site. Consent management software integrate with other website systems such as advertising platforms, analytics tools, and CMS for top consent management. Some CMPs also provide reporting tools for monitoring consent rates.

If your business operates in the EU or serves EU-based users, having a consent management platform is likely necessary. EU regulations such as the GDPR/ePrivacy Directive or UK GDPR/PECR require obtaining consent for cookies (or any third-party service run by your site/app) and data collection. Additionally, if you fall under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and share user data with third parties (e.g. IP address), you must inform Californian consumers and provide them the option to opt out by displaying a “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” opt-out link.

Considering the global emergence of privacy laws, it’s hard to find a site or app that doesn’t need a consent management software. With such a platform, you can easily collect and manage user consent, block cookie scripts until consent is obtained, and maintain detailed consent records. In essence, a consent management platform simplifies the process, ensuring compliance and transparency.

Consent management platforms play a crucial role for businesses, especially those with EU-based users or a presence in the EU. Complying with EU regulations is a requirement for such businesses, and consent management platforms simplify the technical aspects of meeting legal obligations related to collecting consent for cookies.

Furthermore, compliant consent collection is fast becoming an ad industry standard. Industry giant IAB Tech lab (which boasts well-known brands like Google and Microsoft among its board members) has created a technical framework to make it easier to share CMP-collected consent preferences to advertisers.

Publishers (businesses that monetize their content through ads) who do not collect compliant consent, risk decreased revenue as some advertising networks may limit access to their network if no compatible CMP management is implemented.

Consent management refers to the process of handling and obtaining consent for various purposes, particularly regarding the use of cookies and data collection on websites and apps. In order to comply with regulations such as GDPR and ePrivacy, businesses must ensure that they collect informed and active consent from users before engaging in these activities.

Consent management involves making necessary disclosures to users, allowing them to make an explicit decision or take action to grant consent. This process helps businesses maintain transparency, respect user privacy, and adhere to legal requirements.

By implementing a consent management platform, businesses can effectively manage and document user consent, ensuring compliance and building trust with their audience.

CMP in GDPR stands for “Consent Management Platform” and refers to the technology that can help websites comply with the consent requirements introduced by the General Data Protection Regulation (or GPDR) in Europe. Indeed, a CMP is dedicated to properly collecting and managing user consent for things like cookies or marketing activities, as well as storing this consent (which aligns with record-keeping obligations from the GDPR).