IAB Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) 2.2
The IAB Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) 2.2 is a technical standard that allows publishers and advertisers to collect, manage, and share user consent signals for compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ePrivacy Directive in the European Union.
CookieHub is a registered CMP (Consent Management Platform) that supports TCF 2.2 out of the box.
What is the purpose of TCF 2.2?
The framework defines how websites collect and store user consent preferences and communicate those preferences to third-party vendors that process personal data, such as ad networks, analytics providers, and retargeting platforms.
It ensures that:
- Vendors can only access or process personal data with a valid legal basis (such as consent)
- Users are clearly informed about:
- Why their data is being used (purposes)
- Which vendors are involved
- What data is collected
- How long data is retained
- Consent choices are standardized, structured, and passed in a machine-readable format
How it works
When TCF 2.2 is enabled for a region, CookieHub:
- Displays a standardized consent dialog based on the IAB’s user interface requirements
- Retrieves the Global Vendor List (GVL) containing all vendors registered in the TCF
- Allows users to accept or reject:
- Purposes (e.g., personalized ads, content measurement)
- Special features (e.g., precise geolocation)
- Vendors that will process their data
- Generates a Transparency and Consent (TC) string, which contains the user’s choices
- Stores the consent string and shares it with participating vendors through JavaScript or via the CMP API
The TC string includes:
- Consent or objection to each purpose
- The selected legal basis (e.g., consent or legitimate interest)
- User preferences per vendor
CookieHub’s implementation
CookieHub fully manages TCF 2.2 on your behalf.
When you enable the TCF 2.2 framework for a region:
- The correct dialog is displayed automatically with no additional configuration needed
- CookieHub:
- Fetches the Global Vendor List (GVL)
- Shows the list of vendors and purposes to users
- Generates and updates the TC string in real time
- Makes the TC string available to vendors via the IAB API
- If Google is included in the vendor list, Google Consent Mode v2 and Additional Consent Mode are automatically enabled
No additional setup or customization is required. CookieHub ensures the consent dialog complies with IAB’s specifications.
When to use TCF 2.2
Use the IAB TCF 2.2 framework if:
- You serve personalized ads in the EU or UK using platforms that require TCF (such as Google Ads, AdSense, or Meta Ads)
- You need to provide structured, vendor-level consent to a wide range of ad tech providers
- Your advertising partners or header bidding providers require a valid TC string
If you do not use advertising vendors that require the TCF, you can use CookieHub Choices instead for category-based consent.
How to enable TCF 2.2 in CookieHub
- Go to Dashboard → Domain list
- Click on the domain you want to configure
- Click Settings
- Under Regional settings:
- Set the framework to IAB TCF 2.2
- Set the consent type to Explicit consent / opt-in
- Save your changes
The TCF interface will appear automatically for users in the selected region(s), and the consent string will be generated and shared with vendors.
Summary
| Feature | CookieHub Support |
|---|---|
| TCF 2.2 consent UI | ✅ Yes |
| Global Vendor List integration | ✅ Yes |
| Per-purpose and per-vendor control | ✅ Yes |
| Automatic TC string generation | ✅ Yes |
| Signals shared with vendors | ✅ Yes |
| Google Consent Mode + AC Mode support | ✅ Yes (if needed) |