Checklist
Consent Mode v2 vs runtime cookie evidence: what still fires?
Consent Mode signals do not prove tags and cookies stopped. Compare them with cookies and network rows on Fresh or Reject. This is not a setup guide.
In brief
Google Consent Mode, including v2-style defaults, is a signal path tags can read. A cookie audit asks whether marketing cookies, storage, and third-party requests still appeared when the signal said denied or the visitor chose Reject. Treat the signal and the banner text as claims. Falsify them with a clean visit and state-labeled screenshots. ConsentProbe can store that pack. This page is not a setup tutorial and not legal advice.
Not legal advice
This guide explains how to falsify, at runtime, whether tags and cookies still fire when Google Consent Mode signals denial or a limited state. It is not legal advice (非正式法律意见), not a Consent Mode setup tutorial, and not a GDPR, ePrivacy, or CPRA certificate. ConsentProbe reports are technical observations of what fired. They do not say what counsel would allow.
Last updated September 24, 2026. The CMP claims guide owns the wider claims-versus-evidence method. The Reject leftovers guide owns a Reject All failure. The evidence pack guide owns the file fields. This page stays on Consent Mode signals versus cookies and network rows.
Short answer
Consent Mode signals are not proof that tags and cookies stopped. A denied or granted style default is a value tags or the CMP can expose. The audit asks a different question: did marketing cookies, storage, and third-party requests still appear under the state you care about?
Treat Consent Mode defaults and CMP text as claims. On a clean visit, record the state you believe is active, capture cookies and network rows, and keep screenshots labeled by that state. Fresh, Reject, and a claimed default-denied load are the usual labels. If default-denied or Reject still looks like Accept, the signal and the runtime disagree.
ConsentProbe can produce that state-labeled evidence pack, with each finding tied to a request, a cookie, or a screenshot. A free US-baseline scan is not an EU or California legal conclusion. ConsentProbe does not install a CMP and does not configure Consent Mode. This page is not a setup tutorial.
Signals versus evidence
Three layers get mixed in vendor write-ups. Separate them before you write the finding. Stay with signal and runtime disagree. Leave legal conclusions to counsel.
| Layer | What it is | What it does not prove alone |
|---|---|---|
| Consent Mode or CMP signal | A value tags or the CMP expose, such as a denied or granted style default | That cookies and beacons stayed off |
| Runtime cookie and network evidence | What the browser actually set and requested | Legal permission, which stays with counsel |
| Policy or banner screenshot | The UI claim on screen | That the network matched the banner |
Falsify the claim on a clean visit
These steps compare a claimed state with cookies and requests. They do not configure Consent Mode, Google Tag Manager, or a tag. Do not treat a parameter list as the test. The CMP claims guide, the Reject leftovers guide, and the evidence pack guide hold the neighboring methods.
- Use a clean profile. Note the state under test: Fresh with no click, Reject All, or a claimed default-denied load.
- Load the storefront once. Do not click Accept.
- Capture cookies and storage. Flag ads, analytics, and marketing IDs.
- Capture Network rows for marketing hosts and tagged requests.
- Screenshot the banner and the rows. Label both with the state. Write one finding sentence per mismatch.
- Optional: run Accept All as a positive control so you know what on looks like.
Mismatch patterns you can observe
The rows below are observations from a labeled visit. They are not a configuration recipe and they do not name a penalty.
| Claim or assumption | What you hoped to see | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Consent Mode default denied | Ads and analytics cookies and beacons stay off on Fresh | The same fan-out as a visit that looks consented |
| Reject All with Consent Mode on | Marketing stays off after Reject and the next navigation | Reject looks like Accept |
| The CMP supports Consent Mode | Storefront runtime matches that support claim | The banner looks settled and the network is still hot |
When hand-checking the states gets slow
Checking Consent Mode claims across templates by hand is slow. ConsentProbe runs on the URL and stores state-labeled findings tied to a request, a cookie, or a screenshot.
Use the free US-baseline visit when you want the report format. Use paid EU or California scenarios when those regions are the claims. The free versus paid guide draws that line. ConsentProbe does not configure Consent Mode, does not install a CMP, and does not issue a certificate.
FAQ
Does Consent Mode v2 stop cookies by itself?
No. It is a signal path. Verify cookies and network rows under the state you care about.
Is a default-denied setting enough evidence?
No. Capture cookies, storage, and requests labeled for that state. The signal alone does not show the network stayed quiet.
Where do I learn CMP claims versus evidence?
The CMP claims guide covers the wider method. This page stays on Consent Mode signals versus runtime rows.
What if Reject All still tracks with Consent Mode on?
Treat it like any Reject failure. The Reject leftovers guide is the network check. Keep an evidence pack.
Will this page teach me to set up Consent Mode?
No. This page is a falsification check, not a Consent Mode setup tutorial. It does not list tag parameters or admin steps.
Is this legal advice?
No (非正式法律意见). These are technical observations. ConsentProbe does not replace counsel, and it does not install a CMP.
Limits of this page
This page tells you how to compare Consent Mode signals with cookies and network requests. It is not legal advice (非正式法律意见), not a Consent Mode setup tutorial, and not a certificate. ConsentProbe reports stay tied to requests, cookies, and screenshots. A free US-baseline scan is not an EU or California legal conclusion.
Related guides
Open the CMP claims guide for the wider method, the Reject leftovers guide when Reject still tracks, and the evidence pack guide for the file fields.
- TCF consent string vs runtime cookie evidence: what still fires?
- CMP claims vs runtime evidence: how do you prove the banner actually works?
- Reject All Still Tracking: What to Check After You Say No
- What belongs in a cookie consent audit evidence pack?
- Consent Mode vs Raw Pixel Requests: A Storefront Checklist
- What does a free US-baseline cookie audit prove vs paid EU or California scans?
- How do you audit cookies across EU fresh, reject, and accept visits?
- Pre-Consent Cookie Audit: A Storefront Checklist
- Which cookie consent test should you run first?
- ConsentProbe methodology
- Pricing and listed regional products
Sources
These links cover the platform and regulatory context used in this guide. Applicability still depends on the organization and jurisdiction.
Save a US-baseline technical record
After a DIY check, run a free US-baseline audit: one browser visit outside California, with cookies, requests, and screenshots stored as evidence. That visit does not run EU reject/accept or California GPC. EU, California, and Global 2 audits can be purchased from Billing after sign-in.