Have you ever wondered how a consent management platform (CMP) actually works?

‍Updated: 20/07/2022

Here is our guide to how a Consent Management Platform (CMP) works and how it helps you stay compliant with data privacy regulations such as GDPR and CCPA.

A Consent Management Platform is a software that helps you collect and manage personal data and consent information while staying on top of data protection regulations and privacy laws such as the GDPR (EU) and CCPA (California), which require opt-in and opt-out mechanisms, among other things.

For website visitors, it should allow them to give explicit and valid consent to the use of their data, and to easily change their consent and preferences.

For website operators, it should allow them to manage consent and prove compliance.  With the personal data and user consent information that the CMP is able to collect lawfully, the CMP should also be able to provide valuable analytics and insights into your website visitors.

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What are cookies and how does the CMP block them?

Cookies are small text files created by a website to track website visits and to help optimize browsing behavior. They have the function of storing and processing website visitors' information, but not all cookies involve personal data.

Technically speaking, the CMP does not block cookies - it blocks small programs that set cookies in your browser. These small programs are often called scripts, tags, image tags, iframes, tracking beacons etc. They have many names. What is important is that the script (program) that sets (or stores) cookies in the browser is blocked.

In short, a Consent Management Platform (CMP) acts as a mediator between a website visitor and the services* on the website that might collect their personal data via cookies for various reasons such as marketing, social sharing and statistics.

Cookies will remain inactive unless explicit consent is given by the visitor, this means a CMP should make it as easy for visitors to review what services they are opting in as possible, and it should be equally as convenient for them to opt out if they wish to do so.

With the unique visitor’s ID that is generated by the CMP, visitors can request to view and obtain a copy of their consent records from the website owner anonymously. Not only does this provide proof for the website owner of given consent, it also facilitates trust between an organization and its website visitors.

A CMP should also be up-to-date with the latest regulations and update the privacy policy of its correlating website accordingly.

*Some of the most common services used on websites are Google Analytics and embedded YouTube videos.

Is there an all-around consent management solution for websites and mobile apps?

There are a lot of options on the market including leading consent management solutions such as OneTrust and Cookiebot, while some might offer many add-ons and extras, there are really just a few main features that a comprehensive solution should include:

• Explicit opt-in and opt-out functions
• Consent and preference management
• A privacy policy
• A cookie policy

When choosing which solution is right for your needs, there are a few things that you might consider.

• Does it cover all the essential functions listed above?
• Is it compliant with the data privacy laws that are relevant to your business?
• How much upkeep work does it generate - does it help you save time?
• What are the extra features that it offers that could be beneficial to you?

TRUENDO is an all-in-one GDPR and CCPA compliance solution for websites and apps. It is a consent management platform with built-in,  auto-generated, auto-updated privacy and cookie policies. Not only does it allow your website visitors to make and change their privacy preferences with ease, but it also provides detailed information about the individual services and trackers that collect and process personal data, as well as GDPR user rights to help them make well-informed decisions.

TRUENDO loads before the services on the website do, it automatically scans for, and intercepts data collection. It can also identify the cookies and trackers on your website, the data they collect and use, and for which purposes - this is how the policies are automated. Furthermore, TRUENDO works with legal experts of data protection laws, and automatically scans your website regularly to help ensure that your policies are up to date, saving you valuable time.

EU's GDPR is the strictest privacy regulation to date. California's CCPA, Brazil's LGPD and South Africa's POPIA are just some of the regulations that are closely modeled after it. Compliance for websites could feel like an overwhelming task, but it could also empower businesses to build trust with both existing and potential customers.

Highly automated and customizable, TRUENDO offers all the core functionalities that your website or app might need to both free (Essentials) and paid (Premium) customers. With a Premium subscription, you get access to multi-language, statistics dashboard, user permissions management and other useful features to any growing business.

Get started with TRUENDO today and be GDPR and CCPA compliant within minutes.

DISCLAIMER: The contents of this website are intended to convey general information only and not to provide legal advice or opinions. The information presented on this website may not reflect the most current legal developments. An attorney should be contacted for advice on specific legal issues. The implementation of a data protection law compliant Consent Management Platform (CMP) is ultimately at the discretion of the respective data protection officer (DPO) or legal department.