TCF v2.4
IAB Europe Transparency & Consent Framework
Anyone selling ad space programmatically needs more than a banner: the consent state has to reach hundreds of vendors in a standardised format. Aiara is registered with IAB Europe as a consent platform under identifier 507.
TCF v2.4 at a glance
- In force
- Version 2.4 binding for websites from 23 October 2026
- Supervision
- IAB Europe
- Penalty
- Exclusion from the programmatic ad market
- Model
- A standardised consent string
What is the Transparency & Consent Framework?
The Transparency & Consent Framework is an industry standard that translates consent into a machine-readable format. The consent platform generates a string, the TC string, recording for every purpose and every vendor whether consent exists. Advertising partners read it instead of asking themselves.
Version 2.3 introduced the disclosed vendors segment in February 2026, which every string has had to carry since. Version 2.4 followed on 23 July 2026 and is binding for websites from 23 October 2026, for apps and connected TV from 23 February 2027. It tightens presentation: the standard text explaining features has to come verbatim from the vendor list, no control may sit next to a feature, and one of the special features was renamed. For advertising products in the European Economic Area, Google only accepts platforms implementing the version in force.
Who needs TCF?
Publishers selling programmatically
Anyone selling ad space through ad exchanges cannot avoid the standard — without a valid string, bids do not arrive.
Websites using Google ad products in the EEA
Google requires a certified platform implementing the current version of the standard.
Not needed for ordinary business websites
If you do not sell ad space, you do not need the standard. For an SME with analytics and a contact form it would be needless overhead.
What does TCF v2.4 require technically?
A registered consent platform
Only platforms registered with IAB Europe under their own identifier may generate valid consent strings.
The disclosed vendors segment
Since version 2.3 every string has to record which vendors were actually shown to the person.
A browser programming interface
Ad scripts query the consent state through a standardised interface and have to be able to subscribe to changes.
Keeping the vendor list current
The global vendor list changes continually; the platform has to use the version in force at the time.
Separating consent and legitimate interest
The standard distinguishes consent from legitimate interest per purpose and vendor — both have to be captured separately.
How does Aiara implement TCF v2.4?
Aiara has been registered with IAB Europe from the start and implements the current version of the standard in full.
Registered under identifier 507
Aiara is listed with IAB Europe as a consent platform — the precondition for advertising partners to accept the generated strings at all.
Version 2.4 already implemented
The generated string contains both segments, including the disclosed vendors segment mandatory since February 2026. The presentation rules of version 2.4 have been in place since September 2026, a good month before the deadline.
A dedicated interface for purposes and vendors
Purposes, special purposes, features and the complete vendor list are individually viewable and switchable — with consent and legitimate interest kept apart.
Loaded only where needed
The interface sits in a separate bundle that is loaded only where the standard is enabled. Websites without programmatic advertising do not carry its weight.
The vendor list stays current automatically
The global vendor list is maintained and cached server-side — you have nothing to keep up to date.
Frequently asked questions about TCF v2.4
Official sources
This page summarises the legal position in plain language and is no substitute for legal advice.