Tracking tags or ad pixels load with nothing asking the visitor first.
Every analytics tag and ad pixel collects data about a real person. Privacy law in the EU, the UK and a growing list of US states gives that person a say first. A site that tracks without asking is building its reporting on data it may not be allowed to keep.
• Ad pixels firing on the first page view, before any choice is made
• A cookie banner that announces cookies but blocks nothing
• No Your Privacy Choices link in the footer
Owned — Analytics loads for every visitor with no banner at all.
Earned — Embedded videos and social widgets set cookies without asking.
Paid — Ad pixels share visitor data with ad platforms before consent.
Analytics — Consent choices are not logged, so nothing can be proven.
AI — Visitor data flows into AI tools with no consent on record.
• List what is actually firing: every analytics tag, ad pixel and recording tool
• Put a consent platform in front of them that blocks tags by category and logs each choice
• Wire it into your tag manager, set Google Consent Mode defaults, and add a Your Privacy Choices link
• Test it like a visitor: fresh browser, leave the banner alone, confirm nothing fires
