Obtaining Consent with the User Messaging Platform

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Prerequisites

Read How IAB requirements affect EU consent messages.

Introduction

Under the Google EU User Consent Policy, you must make certain disclosures to your users in the European Economic Area (EEA) along with the UK and obtain their consent to use cookies or other local storage, where legally required, and to use personal data (such as AdID) to serve ads. This policy reflects the requirements of the EU ePrivacy Directive and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

To support publishers in meeting their duties under this policy, Google offers the User Messaging Platform (UMP) SDK, which replaces the previous open source Consent SDK. The UMP SDK has been updated to support the latest IAB standards. We've also simplified the process of setting up consent forms and listing ad partners. All of these configurations can now conveniently be handled in Ad Manager Privacy & messaging.

It is a best practice to load a form every time the user launches your app, even if you determine consent is not required, so that the form is ready to display in case the user wishes to change their consent setting.

This guide walks you through how to install the SDK, implement the IAB solutions, and enable testing features.

Install with Gradle

Include the library in your app's build.gradle:

dependencies {
    implementation fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])

    implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.1.0'
    implementation 'androidx.constraintlayout:constraintlayout:1.1.3'
    testImplementation 'junit:junit:4.12'
    androidTestImplementation 'androidx.test.ext:junit:1.1.1'
    androidTestImplementation 'androidx.test.espresso:espresso-core:3.2.0'
    implementation 'com.google.android.ump:user-messaging-platform:2.0.0'
}

Don't forget to sync Gradle when you're finished.

Add app ID to AndroidManifest.xml

Obtain your app ID from the Mobile apps section of Ad Manager:

Add your app ID to your AndroidManifest.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.example.rewardedinterstitialexample">

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme">
        <meta-data
            android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID"
            android:value="YOUR-APP-ID"/>
        <activity android:name=".MainActivity">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>

</manifest>

Using the SDK

The SDK is designed to be used in a linear fashion. The steps for using the SDK are:

  1. Request the latest consent information.
  2. Check if consent is required.
  3. Check if a form is available and if so load a form.
  4. Present the form.
  5. Provide a way for users to change their consent.

It is recommended that you request an update of the consent information at every app launch. This will determine whether or not your user needs to provide consent.

Java

import android.os.Bundle;
import com.google.android.ump.ConsentForm;
import com.google.android.ump.ConsentInformation;
import com.google.android.ump.ConsentRequestParameters;
import com.google.android.ump.FormError;
import com.google.android.ump.UserMessagingPlatform;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
  private ConsentInformation consentInformation;
  private ConsentForm consentForm;

  @Override
  protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

    // Set tag for underage of consent. Here false means users are not underage.
    ConsentRequestParameters params = new ConsentRequestParameters
        .Builder()
        .setTagForUnderAgeOfConsent(false)
        .build();

    consentInformation = UserMessagingPlatform.getConsentInformation(this);
    consentInformation.requestConsentInfoUpdate(
        this,
        params,
        new ConsentInformation.OnConsentInfoUpdateSuccessListener() {
          @Override
          public void onConsentInfoUpdateSuccess() {
            // The consent information state was updated.
            // You are now ready to check if a form is available.
          }
        },
        new ConsentInformation.OnConsentInfoUpdateFailureListener() {
          @Override
          public void onConsentInfoUpdateFailure(FormError formError) {
            // Handle the error.
          }
        });
  }
}

Kotlin

import android.os.Bundle
import com.google.android.ump.*

class MainActivity : AppCompactActivity() {
  private lateinit var consentInformation: ConsentInformation
  private var consentForm: ConsentForm? = null

  override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main)

    // Set tag for underage of consent. Here false means users are not underage.
    val params = ConsentRequestParameters.Builder()
        .setTagForUnderAgeOfConsent(false)
        .build()

    consentInformation = UserMessagingPlatform.getConsentInformation(this)
    consentInformation.requestConsentInfoUpdate(
        this,
        params,
        {
          // The consent information state was updated.
          // You are now ready to check if a form is available.
        },
        { formError ->
          // Handle the error.
        }
    )
  }
}

Load a form if available

Once you've determined that you will ask a user for consent, the next step is to determine if a form is available.

There are a variety of reasons why a form may not be available, such as:

  • The user has limited ad tracking enabled.
  • You tagged the user as under the age of consent.

To check if a form is available, use the isConsentFormAvailable() method on the ConsentInformation instance. Add a wrapper method for loading a form:

Java

...
    consentInformation.requestConsentInfoUpdate(
        this,
        params,
        new ConsentInformation.OnConsentInfoUpdateSuccessListener() {
          @Override
          public void onConsentInfoUpdateSuccess() {
            // The consent information state was updated.
            // You are now ready to check if a form is available.
            if (consentInformation.isConsentFormAvailable()) {
              loadForm();
            }
          }
        },
        new ConsentInformation.OnConsentInfoUpdateFailureListener() {
          @Override
          public void onConsentInfoUpdateFailure(FormError formError) {
            // Handle the error.
          }
        });
}

public void loadForm() {

}

Kotlin

...
    consentInformation.requestConsentInfoUpdate(
        this,
        params,
        {
          // The consent information state was updated.
          // You are now ready to check if a form is available.
          if (consentInformation.isConsentFormAvailable) {
            loadForm()
          }
        },
        { formError ->
          // Handle the error.
        }
    )
}

private fun loadForm() {

}

To load the form you will use the static loadConsentForm() method on the UserMessagingPlatform class. This method must only be called from the main thread. Alter your loadForm() method like so:

Java

public void loadForm() {
  UserMessagingPlatform.loadConsentForm(
      this, new UserMessagingPlatform.OnConsentFormLoadSuccessListener() {
        @Override
        public void onConsentFormLoadSuccess(ConsentForm consentForm) {
          MainActivity.this.consentForm = consentForm;
        }
      },
      new UserMessagingPlatform.OnConsentFormLoadFailureListener() {
        @Override
        public void onConsentFormLoadFailure(FormError formError) {
          // Handle the error.
        }
      });
}

Kotlin

private fun loadForm() {
  UserMessagingPlatform.loadConsentForm(
      this,
      { consentForm ->
        this.consentForm = consentForm
      },
      { formError ->
        // Handle the error.
      }
  )
}

Present the form if required

To present the form, use the show() method on the ConsentForm instance. You should determine if the user requires consent prior to presenting the form. To check if consent is required, check the getConsentStatus() method on the ConsentInformation object, which returns an enum of type ConsentInformation.ConsentStatus. There are four possible values:

  • ConsentStatus.UNKNOWN: Unknown consent status.
  • ConsentStatus.REQUIRED: User consent required but not yet obtained.
  • ConsentStatus.NOT_REQUIRED: User consent not required. For example, the user is not in the EEA or the UK.
  • ConsentStatus.OBTAINED: User consent obtained. Personalization not defined.

Alter your loadForm() method like so:

Java

public void loadForm() {
  UserMessagingPlatform.loadConsentForm(
      this, new UserMessagingPlatform.OnConsentFormLoadSuccessListener() {
        @Override
        public void onConsentFormLoadSuccess(ConsentForm consentForm) {
          MainActivity.this.consentForm = consentForm;
          if (consentInformation.getConsentStatus() == ConsentInformation.ConsentStatus.REQUIRED) {
            consentForm.show(
                MainActivity.this,
                    new ConsentForm.OnConsentFormDismissedListener() {
                      @Override
                      public void onConsentFormDismissed(@Nullable FormError formError) {
                        // Handle dismissal by reloading form.
                        loadForm();
                      }
                    });
          }
        }
      },
      new UserMessagingPlatform.OnConsentFormLoadFailureListener() {
        @Override
        public void onConsentFormLoadFailure(FormError formError) {
          // Handle the error.
        }
      });
}

Kotlin

private fun loadForm() {
  UserMessagingPlatform.loadConsentForm(
      this,
      { consentForm ->
        this.consentForm = consentForm
        if (consentInformation.consentStatus == ConsentInformation.ConsentStatus.REQUIRED) {
          consentForm.show(this) { formError ->
            // Handle dismissal by reloading form.
            loadForm()
          }
        }
      },
      { formError ->
        // Handle the error.
      }
  )
}

If consent is not required, you can maintain a reference to the form so that your user can change their consent status.

Testing

Force a geography

The UMP SDK provides a way to test your app's behavior as though the device was located in the EEA using the setDebugGeography() method on ConsentDebugSettings.Builder.

You will need to provide your test device's hashed ID in your app's debug settings to use the debug functionality. If you call requestConsentInfoUpdate() without setting this value, your app will log the required ID hash when run.

Java

ConsentDebugSettings debugSettings = new ConsentDebugSettings.Builder(this)
    .setDebugGeography(ConsentDebugSettings
        .DebugGeography
        .DEBUG_GEOGRAPHY_EEA)
    .addTestDeviceHashedId("TEST-DEVICE-HASHED-ID")
    .build();

ConsentRequestParameters params = new ConsentRequestParameters
    .Builder()
    .setConsentDebugSettings(debugSettings)
    .build();

consentInformation = UserMessagingPlatform.getConsentInformation(this);
consentInformation.requestConsentInfoUpdate(
    this,
    params,
    new ConsentInformation.OnConsentInfoUpdateSuccessListener() {
      @Override
      public void onConsentInfoUpdateSuccess() {
        // The consent information state was updated.
        // You are now ready to check if a form is available.
      }
    },
    new ConsentInformation.OnConsentInfoUpdateFailureListener() {
      @Override
      public void onConsentInfoUpdateFailure(FormError formError) {
        // Handle the error.
      }
    });

Kotlin

val debugSettings = ConsentDebugSettings.Builder(this)
    .setDebugGeography(ConsentDebugSettings
        .DebugGeography
        .DEBUG_GEOGRAPHY_EEA)
    .addTestDeviceHashedId("TEST-DEVICE-HASHED-ID")
    .build()

val params = ConsentRequestParameters
    .Builder()
    .setConsentDebugSettings(debugSettings)
    .build()

consentInformation = UserMessagingPlatform.getConsentInformation(this)
consentInformation.requestConsentInfoUpdate(
    this,
    params,
    {
      // The consent information state was updated.
      // You are now ready to check if a form is available.
    },
    { formError ->
      // Handle the error.
    }
  )

To force the SDK to treat the device as though it is not in the EEA or the UK, use DebugGeography.DEBUG_GEOGRAPHY_NOT_EEA. Note that debug settings only work on test devices. Emulators do not need to be added to the device ID list as they have testing enabled by default.

In testing your app with the UMP SDK, you may find it helpful to reset the state of the SDK so that you can simulate a user's first install experience. The SDK provides the reset method to do this.

Java

consentInformation.reset();

Kotlin

consentInformation.reset()