Google has informed advertisers that starting on or shortly after August 3, 2026, it will begin using IP addresses for ad measurement and personalization in the European Economic Area, the UK, and Switzerland.
This change assigns a new purpose to data that Google already collects, transitioning from network routing to device identification for advertising purposes. The update also triggers consent requirements under UK and EU privacy laws.
Google describes this shift as focusing on privacy-enhancing technologies, including on-device processing, trusted execution environments, and secure multi-party computation.
Some controls for IP-based personalization will not be available until later this year or early next year.
What’s Actually Changing and Why It Matters for the UK and EU
Google already collects IP addresses through customer tags, SDKs, HTTP requests, and uploads. This data is used for routing traffic and delivering advertisements.
Starting August 3, however, the purpose shifts: the same IP addresses will also be used to identify devices for measurement and ad personalization.
Google will also register under the IAB Europe Transparency and Consent Framework for Feature 3, which is about identifying devices based on information transmitted automatically.
Under the framework, Feature 3 is the method for distinguishing devices using data they send automatically, including IP addresses. It is not a consent step in itself; rather, it relates to personalization purposes that require user consent rather than legitimate interest.
IP addresses fall under the category of personal data under GDPR. Using an IP address to identify a device is a fundamental part of fingerprinting, which is a method used to track devices even when cookies are blocked or cleared. Google previously argued that fingerprinting undermines user choice.
In 2019, Justin Schuh, then the Chrome engineering director, stated that fingerprinting was problematic because users could not clear it in the same way they clear cookies.
However, Google changed its stance in December 2024, removing its ban on fingerprinting for advertisers.
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office, or ICO, called Google's reversal in December 2024 "irresponsible" within a day of the announcement.
The ICO's Position
The timing of the August 3 rollout has raised concerns in light of recent ICO guidance. On May 18, 2026, the ICO provided advice to the UK government regarding potential updates to online advertising regulations.
The ICO's preferred approach allows some advertising without user consent only when it is based on the context being viewed, rather than a person's activity over time. Consent remains necessary for tracking that creates profiles across multiple services.
Under the ICO's framework, personalization based on IP addresses across different platforms falls on the side requiring consent. The ICO has emphasized that no changes have been implemented yet and that current rules continue to apply.
Google sent an email to advertisers, emphasizing that they are still responsible for compliance. The message reminded them that they must adhere to Google's EU User Consent Policy and obtain valid consent from users in the relevant regions.
What Users Can Do Now and What Comes Next
The option for users to choose IP-based personalization on Google's own properties will not be available until later in the rollout.
Until then, the controls users can access include declining non-essential cookies and consent prompts when they appear, reviewing ad personalization settings at myadcenter.google.com under their Google account, and using browsers with built-in tracking protection, such as Firefox or Brave, which impose additional restrictions on tracking.
Users can also use a VPN to mask their IP address from advertising endpoints, although this changes the IP rather than eliminating it as an identifier.
To see what personalization features are currently active, users should sign in to myadcenter.google.com, review the topics and demographics Google associates with their account, and disable any categories they do not want used for ad targeting.
It's still unclear whether Google's August 3 update will meet the ICO's preferred consent standards. The ICO has not yet confirmed if enforcement actions will follow if IP-based personalization is used without obtaining consent that aligns with UK regulations.
Google has not announced specific dates for when the IP personalization controls that users see will be available on its sites.
Advertisers using Google's services have been notified of the changes and are responsible for making sure they comply with consent requirements in the regions affected.
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