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Google announced an update yesterday regarding data controls for Google Ads and Google Analytics, specifically focusing on the sources of data. The goal is to simplify these controls by consolidating settings where the data is utilized, eliminating redundancies between the two platforms.
Currently, linking your Google Analytics account to your Google Ads allows Analytics data to flow into Ads. However, the existing controls in Analytics still govern how that data is used within Ads. For instance, settings related to Google Ads cookies and IDs are managed by Google Signals, and audience targeting is handled through Ads personalization options in Analytics. To streamline this process, controls will now be organized based on data usage:
– Google Ads settings will exclusively govern data used within Google Ads, including data shared by Analytics.
– Google Analytics settings will solely control data used for behavioral reporting within Analytics.
This change aims to make consent management more straightforward, ensuring user preferences are consistently enforced across both platforms. Users will still retain control over their data collection preferences and can modify them at any time.
One of the first updates involves the Google Signals setting in Analytics. Currently, the collection of Google Ads cookies and IDs via analytics.js or SDKs is managed by both Google Signals in Analytics and Consent Mode Ads settings. Moving forward, starting June 15, 2026, Consent Mode within Google Ads will become the primary control. That means the privacy choices users make through Ads’ Consent Mode will govern how data is collected and used, replacing the previous dual control.
After this date, the Google Signals setting in Google Analytics and its API will only influence how Analytics associates data with signed-in user details for reporting purposes.
Regarding ads personalization, Google plans to revise how Analytics manages data for ad targeting later in 2026. Currently, controls exist at various levels—account, property, ads link, and event. These will be streamlined to be controlled solely through Ads settings. Once you link Analytics to Ads, the flow of data will be governed by the Consent Mode ad personalization setting, determining whether the data is used for targeted ads.
When it comes to IP addresses, data collected via tags and SDKs will be encrypted and sent to Google Ads, where it will be managed according to your ads settings and policies. This encryption applies to users outside the European Economic Area, the UK, and Switzerland, with further details to be shared later this year regarding IP address handling and other related controls.
Insights from industry experts, like Simo Ahava, suggest that these changes leave little room for nuance. Essentially, users will be required to allow ad storage and signals to enable complete data sharing, including linking users with their Google sign-in, or they can deny permissions, restricting data access to minimal identifiers like URL parameters.
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