If you monetize your website with programmatic advertising and use banner ads from the Google network, this news concerns you directly. In February 2026, version 2.3 of the Transparency & Consent Framework comes into effect, and once again, compliance is not optional.
This isn't just another technical update to ignore. IAB Europe has raised the bar on transparency and compliance, with concrete consequences for those who don't adapt in time. The good news? If you're using My Agile Privacy, you're already ready. But let's take it step by step.
A bit of history: how we got here
The Transparency & Consent Framework wasn't born yesterday: the first version (TCF 2.0) was launched in August 2019, right after the GDPR came into force, to give publishers and advertisers a common standard for managing consent from European users in the relevant context.
In 2023 came TCF 2.2, an update that strengthened some technical aspects and improved interoperability with other privacy platforms. A necessary evolution, but all things considered, a gradual one.
Now, almost three years later, IAB Europe presents TCF 2.3, and this time the goal is clear: to definitively align the framework with the expectations of European data protection authorities, which in recent years have multiplied sanctions and made guidelines increasingly stringent.
This isn't a simple cosmetic update, but a change of pace that increasingly takes the path of transparency.
What changes with IAB TCF 2.3
The innovations introduced by version 2.3 touch on four main areas, all oriented toward giving users more control and publishers more responsibility.
Enhanced transparency in consent banners
Cookie banners will have to show the total number of vendors involved in data collection, not just the main ones. Additionally, they'll need to provide concrete, understandable examples of how user data will be used. No more obscure technical language. People need to truly understand what they're accepting.
Finally, users must be able to easily reopen their consent preferences at any time, with clear and always visible access.
Goodbye to legitimate interest for advertising purposes
This is probably the most impactful change for those working in advertising. Legitimate interest can no longer be used as a legal basis for special purposes related to personalized advertising (purposes 3-6 of the IAB list).
Translated: for these purposes, explicit user consent will always be required. No shortcuts, no gray areas.
Technical updates to the TC string
At the technical implementation level, the "Disclosed Vendors" section becomes mandatory in the TC string (the string that encodes user consent preferences). This eliminates interpretative ambiguities that in the past had created compatibility problems between different platforms.
For many it will just be a technical detail, but in practice it makes the entire system more reliable and verifiable by authorities.
Timeline: dates to mark on your calendar
IAB Europe officially announced TCF 2.3 on June 19, 2025. The official effective date is set for February 28, 2026.
But the critical deadline is a few days earlier: February 1, 2026. From that moment, TC strings based on TCF 2.2 will become technically invalid. Vendors using the Global Vendor List might refuse to process consent encoded with the old standard.
In practice, this means that if you don't update your implementation by that date, you risk finding yourself with a consent banner that technically works, but that your advertising partners no longer accept. With all that entails in terms of drastic reduction in monetization.
What you risk if you don't comply
IAB Europe has clarified that non-compliant organizations will be placed on a public non-compliance list.
It's not just a matter of reputation (although that matters too): the list is shared with national data protection authorities in all European countries, with all the consequences that entails, including sanctions.
However, there's an even more immediate risk for those who monetize with programmatic advertising. Vendors on the Global Vendor List (DSPs, SSPs, ad networks) could simply decide not to work anymore with publishers using non-compliant TCF implementations, which translates to fewer bids, less fill of advertising inventory, less revenue.
A loss of monetization that can be felt as early as the first day of February 2026.
The good news: My Agile Privacy is already ready
If you're using My Agile Privacy, you can breathe a sigh of relief. The implementation of IAB TCF 2.3 is already active in your installation. You don't need to do anything extraordinary, no complex configuration, no technical intervention.
The only thing you need to do is keep My Agile Privacy updated. Every time we release an update, install the new version. Updates include not only new features, but also all the regulatory and technical adjustments needed to always stay compliant with regulations.
You can check your plugin's current version from the WordPress dashboard, in the section dedicated to installed plugins. If you see an available update, install it. There's nothing else.
No need to panic, awareness is what's needed
The arrival of IAB TCF 2.3 shouldn't scare anyone. It's the natural evolution of a framework that, from 2019 to today, has allowed thousands of European publishers to continue monetizing while respecting user privacy.
Sure, the rules are getting stricter. But this happens because European authorities want to see real transparency, not statements of principle. And for those working seriously, this is good news. It means the programmatic advertising market is maturing, that standards are rising, that rule-benders will have less and less room to maneuver.
You just need to make sure you're on the right side of the fence. With My Agile Privacy, you already are. Keep the plugin updated, regularly check your configuration, and face February 2026 with the peace of mind of someone who did their homework on time.
Do you have doubts about your current configuration? Want to verify that everything is in order? Contact our human support (yes, real people, not chatbots): we're here to help you navigate these changes without stress.
