IAB TCF (Transparency and Consent Framework) is a standardised framework created by IAB Europe for managing consent for advertising cookies and data processing in programmatic advertising.
What is IAB TCF?
TCF is a technical standard that enables websites and advertising partners to obtain, store and share user consent information in a unified manner. The current version is TCF 2.2.
How TCF works
- CMP (Consent Management Platform) – A platform for managing consent (e.g. a cookie banner)
- TC String – An encoded string containing the consent status
- Global Vendor List – A list of registered advertising vendors
- Purposes – Defined purposes for data processing
Processing purposes in TCF
- Store and/or access information on a device
- Select basic adverts
- Create profiles for personalised advertising
- Select personalised adverts
- Measure advertising performance
- Measure content performance
- Develop and improve products
When do you need TCF?
TCF is relevant if:
- You use programmatic advertising (Google AdSense, header bidding)
- You work with multiple advertising partners
- You need a standardised way to manage consent
TCF vs. Google Consent Mode
TCF and Google Consent Mode are complementary. TCF is a broader standard for the advertising ecosystem, whilst Consent Mode is specific to Google services. Many CMPs support both.