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Google expands privacy controls to eight additional US states

AdSense implements Universal Opt-Out Mechanism provisions across Connecticut, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Texas, Minnesota, New Jersey and Maryland.

Luis Rijo

• 6 min read
Google privacy shield with 8 glowing US state outlines representing new AdSense opt-out controls expansion
Google privacy shield with 8 glowing US state outlines representing new AdSense opt-out controls expansion

Google announced significant privacy control expansions for its AdSense platform on June 30, 2025, implementing Universal Opt-Out Mechanism provisions across eight additional US states. The update brings Connecticut, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Texas, Minnesota, New Jersey and Maryland into Google's Global Privacy Control framework, requiring the platform to honor browser-based opt-out signals.

The announcement details that Google will now receive Global Privacy Control signals directly from users in these states and automatically trigger Restricted Data Processing mode for those ad requests. This expansion builds upon existing Colorado Universal Opt-Out Mechanism provisions that were already operational within the platform.

"Similar to the Colorado Universal Opt-Out Mechanism (UOOMs) provisions, additional US States including Connecticut, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Texas, Minnesota, New Jersey and Maryland, have similar UOOMs provisions that require Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals opt the user out of ad targeting, sale, or share of data," the Google AdSense announcement stated.

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Summary

Who: Google AdSense platform implementing privacy controls affecting publishers and users across eight additional US states

What: Universal Opt-Out Mechanism provisions requiring automatic processing of Global Privacy Control signals to trigger Restricted Data Processing mode for ad requests

When: Announced June 30, 2025, with immediate implementation for users in Connecticut, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Texas, Minnesota, New Jersey and Maryland

Where: Eight US states joining existing Colorado framework, affecting publishers and content creators using Google AdSense in these jurisdictions

Why: State-level privacy legislation requirements mandating businesses honor browser-based opt-out signals for data collection and sharing activities, ensuring compliance with Universal Opt-Out Mechanism provisions

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Technical implementation details

The Global Privacy Control specification enables web users to communicate their tracking preferences automatically through browser settings or dedicated extensions. When users activate GPC, their browsers send standardized signals to websites indicating their preference to opt out of data tracking and sharing activities.

Google's implementation processes these signals at the ad request level, immediately activating Restricted Data Processing mode for users from the designated states. RDP mode fundamentally alters how the advertising platform handles user data, limiting personalization capabilities and restricting data sharing with third-party partners.

The technical architecture ensures that GPC signals are interpreted consistently across Google's advertising ecosystem. Publishers using AdSense will see automatic compliance with user preferences without requiring manual intervention or custom code implementations.

Regulatory compliance framework

The expansion addresses specific state-level privacy legislation that mandates respect for Universal Opt-Out Mechanisms. These laws typically require that businesses honor browser-based signals indicating user preferences regarding data collection and sharing.

Connecticut's privacy legislation, which took effect in July 2023, includes provisions for Universal Opt-Out Mechanisms that enable consumers to communicate opt-out preferences through standardized signals. Montana's privacy law, effective October 2024, contains similar requirements for recognizing and processing these automated preference signals.

Nebraska's privacy legislation includes UOOMs provisions that became enforceable in January 2025. New Hampshire's privacy law incorporates Universal Opt-Out Mechanism requirements that took effect in January 2025. Texas privacy regulations include UOOMs provisions that require businesses to process browser-based opt-out signals automatically.

Minnesota's privacy legislation mandates recognition of Global Privacy Control signals for data collection and sharing activities. New Jersey's privacy law includes Universal Opt-Out Mechanism provisions requiring automated processing of user preferences. Maryland's privacy regulations contain similar requirements for honoring browser-based opt-out signals.

Market implications for publishers

The expanded privacy controls directly impact revenue generation for publishers using Google AdSense across these eight states. Restricted Data Processing mode typically reduces the value of advertising inventory due to limited targeting capabilities and reduced data collection.

Publishers in affected states may experience decreased ad revenue as the platform shifts to serving non-personalized advertisements to users who have activated Global Privacy Control. Non-personalized ads generally command lower prices in programmatic auctions compared to their personalized counterparts.

The change particularly affects content creators and publishers who rely heavily on display advertising revenue. Educational websites, news publications, and content platforms in the expanded states must now account for potentially reduced monetization from users who utilize GPC-enabled browsers or extensions.

However, the automated implementation reduces compliance burdens for publishers. The system processes GPC signals without requiring manual intervention, ensuring consistent adherence to state privacy requirements across all participating properties.

This expansion represents part of a larger pattern of privacy regulation implementation across US states. The announcements from PPC Land demonstrate Google's ongoing adaptation to evolving privacy requirements through multiple platform updates throughout 2024 and 2025.

The AdSense privacy messaging updates have been particularly active, with European consent controls receiving flexible country-specific configurations earlier in 2025. Additionally, Google has removed certain non-personalized ad controls from European settings, directing publishers toward code-based implementations.

The broader advertising technology ecosystem has similarly adapted to privacy changes. Adform announced Global Privacy Control support in July 2024, demonstrating industry-wide movement toward GPC compliance.

Data processing modifications

When Restricted Data Processing mode activates through GPC signals, Google's advertising systems implement several key limitations. The platform restricts the use of user identifiers for audience targeting and limits data sharing with demand-side platforms and other advertising partners.

Cookie-based tracking becomes significantly limited under RDP mode. The system processes ad requests without utilizing persistent identifiers that enable cross-site tracking or detailed behavioral profiling. Instead, the platform relies on contextual signals and first-party data for ad serving decisions.

Audience segmentation capabilities are substantially reduced when RDP mode is active. Advanced targeting features that rely on demographic profiling, interest categorization, and behavioral analysis become unavailable for affected ad requests. This limitation directly impacts the precision of ad placement and potentially reduces campaign effectiveness for advertisers.

The platform maintains basic functionality including fraud detection and measurement capabilities even when processing requests in Restricted Data Processing mode. These essential security and analytics functions continue operating within the constraints of privacy-protective data handling.

Publisher preparation requirements

Publishers using Google AdSense should review their privacy policies to ensure accurate disclosure of data processing practices under the expanded GPC framework. The automatic implementation means publishers don't need to modify existing ad tags or implement custom code solutions.

However, revenue forecasting models may require adjustment to account for the potential impact of increased RDP mode activation rates. Publishers should monitor performance metrics to understand how GPC adoption rates in their audiences affect overall monetization.

Content creators should consider diversifying revenue streams to reduce dependence on display advertising revenue that may be affected by privacy control implementations. Alternative monetization strategies become increasingly important as privacy regulations continue expanding across additional states.

Publishers should also ensure their consent management platforms and privacy notices accurately reflect the automated processing of Global Privacy Control signals. Transparency regarding data handling practices remains essential for maintaining user trust and regulatory compliance.

Future regulatory landscape

The eight-state expansion follows a pattern of gradual privacy regulation implementation across the United States. Additional states are likely to introduce similar Universal Opt-Out Mechanism requirements as privacy legislation continues developing at the state level.

Google's proactive implementation approach suggests the company anticipates further expansion of GPC requirements. The technical infrastructure developed for processing these signals can likely accommodate additional states without requiring fundamental platform modifications.

Publishers and advertisers should monitor state-level privacy legislation developments to understand potential future impacts on digital advertising operations. The trend toward automated opt-out processing appears likely to continue as privacy regulations mature.

The standardization around Global Privacy Control signals may eventually lead to broader industry adoption beyond Google's advertising platforms. Other major advertising technology providers may implement similar automatic processing capabilities to ensure compliance with state-level UOOMs requirements.

Timeline