How the IAB Transparency and Consent Framework Works, Step by Step
The IAB Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) is a common standard that lets a website collect consent for advertising and share it with ad vendors in a format they all understand. IAB Europe built it with IAB Tech Lab, and the first version came out in 2018, the same year GDPR took effect. Why the framework exists GDPR asks for a lawful basis before personal data is used for things like ad targeting. One web page can call many ad tech companies in a single load, and before the TCF each one handled consent its own way. The framework gives them one shared signal to read. Seers breaks down each moving part in its beginner's guide to the IAB Transparency Consent Framework . How it works in four steps The banner appears. A certified consent management platform (CMP) shows the notice and the number of vendors asking for permission. The visitor chooses. They accept, reject, or pick specific purposes and vendors. The CMP writes a TC string. This short encoded record lists ap...