5 Consent Management Platforms for Brands and Publishers

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This post is the latest in our “Pursuing Privacy” series. It’s our editorial focus for the month of June, including topics like location data and ad targeting. See the rest of the series here


The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation has fundamentally changed the way consumers and technology companies think about privacy. It’s also opened the door for a new type of online platform, as publishers grapple with how best to adhere to new restrictions governing how they obtain and manage user consent.

For brands and publishers that work with multiple ad tech partners, the process of obtaining user consent for data processing is overwhelming. To simplify the workflow, publishers have started using consent management platforms (CMPs). Not only have CMPs been designed to help brands and publishers obtain and manage user consent, but they also help with monetizing users, even when users haven’t opted-in to sharing data.

CMPs were largely developed in response to the GDPR — most are built on the IAB’s transparency and consent framework — which means the systems themselves are still relatively young. Nonetheless, the popularity of this type of platform has led to a spring of new players entering the space. Here are five examples of CMPs on the market right now.

1. Quantcast Choice
Built on the IAP’s transparency and consent framework, Quantcast Choice presents users with a customizable pop-up prompting them to share their data with the publisher’s advertising partners. Quantcast gives users a way to dig into the way their data will be used and opt-in (or out) of specific types of data processing. Users can also access complete lists of third-party vendors, with details about how those vendors process data. Quantcast says its CMP is free for publishers and advertisers.

2. ConsentForAds
Designed for small and medium-size digital publishers, ConsentForAds is a GDPR-compliant tool for opting-in or opting-out users for digital advertising. ConsentForAds was developed by UnveilMedia, the video advertising and data solutions platform. Users can consent to sharing data by partner or for a specific purpose. Interestingly, ConsentForAds offers a way for publishers to monetize users even when they don’t opt-in to sharing their data. Users who don’t consent to sharing their data are shown video ads before they can continue on to the publisher’s website. ConsentForAds can be implemented as a WordPress plugin or JavaScript tag.

3. Piwik PRO Consent Manager
Piwik PRO Consent Manager is a third-party consent management solution. The CMP collects consent for data processing, while also giving users the ability to exercise the rights given to them under the GDPR. Piwik PRO manages all data subject requests in one place, with pop-ups that ask users for their consent. Piwik PRO has a way to turn GDPR compliance on or off. (For example, compliance can be turned off when new website visitors are opted-in by default.) Consent manager insights are also available, so publishers can gather information about their users’ consent decisions and learn whether visitors viewed their consent forms without overstepping the bounds of privacy. Piwik PRO offers custom pricing options.

4. TrustArc
The privacy compliance firm TrustArc is a logical choice for publishers who are looking for support with the GDPR. The company’s modular platform includes a dashboard with privacy compliance KPIs, along with regulatory news and the ability to monitor risk and program maturity levels. Included in the solution is a marketing consent manager, which manages user consent for email and other direct marketing programs, along with a website monitoring manager that identifies and manages the use of cookies and trackers across digital properties. In addition to websites, TrustArc’s solution can be embedded across email databases and SMS using connectors that are designed for GDPR consent processes.

5. Cookiebot
Based on requests from users and resellers, the cookie and online tracking solution Cookiebot now integrates with IAB framework and is registered with IAB as a CMP. The IAB’s framework is a supplement to Cookiebot’s core framework, which was created to help publishers make their use of cookies and online tracking compliance. Publishers implement Cookiebot by adding a few lines of Javascript. Cookiebot’s core functionality involves automated cookie scanning and declarations, as well as a cookie consent banner that gives website visitors a simple choice of four types of cookies across all cookie providers. Small publishers can use Cookiebot for free.

Stephanie Miles is a senior editor at Street Fight.Rainbow over Montclair

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Stephanie Miles is a journalist who covers personal finance, technology, and real estate. As Street Fight’s senior editor, she is particularly interested in how local merchants and national brands are utilizing hyperlocal technology to reach consumers. She has written for FHM, the Daily News, Working World, Gawker, Cityfile, and Recessionwire.