A significant change to how Google Ads handles data collection is coming on 15 June 2026, and many marketing teams in the travel industry haven't fully prepared for it. Right now, ad data collection is controlled by two things: a setting in Google Analytics 4 (Google Signals) and your consent banner via Consent Mode. From 15 June, Google is removing the GA4 control entirely — making your cookie consent banner the single point of control for all ad tracking, audience building, and remarketing.
The practical impact is bigger than it sounds. Everything will hinge on one setting — ad_storage — with no middle ground and no fallback if your setup is misconfigured. The problem is that consent banners are often the weakest link: many default to "granted" before a user has interacted, fire tracking before consent is given, or don't match what's disclosed in the privacy policy. Under Australian privacy law (and increasingly under global standards), that's not valid consent — and the liability sits with the business, not Google.
This isn't happening in isolation either. Privacy Act reforms are in progress, the definition of personal data is expanding, and enforcement is increasing. The direction is clear: the bar for valid consent is only going up.
The recommended action window is before 1 June. The key steps: audit your Consent Mode setup to confirm parameters are firing correctly, ensure your default state is denied before user interaction, verify that tracking matches what users are told, and update your privacy policy to reflect reality.
For travel brands running paid campaigns, this is worth treating as a priority — not just a settings update.
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A significant change to how Google Ads handles data collection is coming on 15 June 2026, and many marketing teams in the travel industry haven't fully prepared for it. Right now, ad data collection is controlled by two things: a setting in Google Analytics 4 (Google Signals) and your consent banner via Consent Mode. From 15 June, Google is removing the GA4 control entirely — making your cookie consent banner the single point of control for all ad tracking, audience building, and remarketing.
The practical impact is bigger than it sounds. Everything will hinge on one setting — ad_storage — with no middle ground and no fallback if your setup is misconfigured. The problem is that consent banners are often the weakest link: many default to "granted" before a user has interacted, fire tracking before consent is given, or don't match what's disclosed in the privacy policy. Under Australian privacy law (and increasingly under global standards), that's not valid consent — and the liability sits with the business, not Google.
This isn't happening in isolation either. Privacy Act reforms are in progress, the definition of personal data is expanding, and enforcement is increasing. The direction is clear: the bar for valid consent is only going up.
The recommended action window is before 1 June. The key steps: audit your Consent Mode setup to confirm parameters are firing correctly, ensure your default state is denied before user interaction, verify that tracking matches what users are told, and update your privacy policy to reflect reality.
For travel brands running paid campaigns, this is worth treating as a priority — not just a settings update.
More details at inmarketingwetrust.com.au/urgent-you-are-at-risk-google-signals-no-longer-controls-advertising-data/