Google Updates Server-Side Tag Manager For Ad Products
Google will let ad tags accept full IP addresses starting Jan 11, 2027, according to a notice to advertisers, which may impact data collection and consent requirements. Advertisers must review and update their tags before the change takes effect.
Original reporting · searchenginejournal.com
Original: “Google Ad Tags In Server-Side GTM To Get Full IP Addresses via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern”
Read “Google Ad Tags In Server-Side GTM To Get Full IP Addresses via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern” at Search Engine Journal →
How this was written. Clicktag wrote this article with a language model from Search Engine Journal’s reporting (model: @cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast); it describes that reporting rather than adding to it. The original, linked above, is the full story.
Key points from Search Engine Journal’s report
- Google will allow ad tags to accept full IP addresses starting January 11, 2027, which may impact data collection and consent requirements.
- Advertisers must review and update their tags before the change takes effect to ensure compliance with the new requirements.
- The update emphasizes the importance of consent requirements, particularly for advertisers using Google's advertising products in the EEA.
- Google says the update will improve campaign performance and integrate privacy-enhancing technologies.
- The announced server-side change is distinct from Google's planned Analytics data control updates.
Google is updating its server-side Google Tag Manager to allow tags for its ad products to accept full IP addresses, according to a notice to advertisers. This change will take effect on January 11, 2027, and will impact tags that send data to Google Ads, Display & Video 360, Search Ads 360, and Campaign Manager 360 from a server container.
The notice explains that server containers will transition from container-wide IP address redaction to individual tag-level processing. This means that tags sending data to Google's ad products will now accept the full IP address, while Google Analytics tags will continue to apply IP redaction.
Advertisers with Google ad tags in a server container have until January 11, 2027, to decide whether those tags should get full or partially redacted IP addresses. To keep IP addresses redacted, users can create a new Custom Template Variable that calls Google's getAnonymizedIpAddress function and then create a new Augment event transformation that overwrites the ip_override field with the anonymized IP address.
The update also emphasizes the importance of consent requirements, stating that advertisers must ensure that proper end-user notices and legally required consents are in place before data collection begins. This is particularly important for advertisers using Google's advertising products in the EEA, who must strictly adhere to Google's EU User Consent Policy.
Google says the update integrates privacy-enhancing technologies, filters spam and invalid traffic, and will improve campaign performance. However, the announcement does not provide information about how changes will interact with consent mode or where and how long full IP addresses will be stored.
The announced server-side change is distinct from Google's planned Analytics data control updates, which will encrypt IP addresses collected by the Google tag and SDK and pass them to linked Google Ads accounts. Advertisers should review all Google Ads, Floodlight, and third-party tags inside their server containers and identify which IP field each tag is reading before the change takes effect.
Looking ahead, tag-level IP processing for Google server containers is scheduled to begin on January 11, 2027. Advertisers should review the Tag Manager release notes and developer pages for detailed information and update their tags accordingly to ensure compliance with the new requirements. This article is based on reporting by Search Engine Journal.
Questions and answers
What is changing in Google's server-side Tag Manager?
Google is updating its server-side Tag Manager to allow tags for its ad products to accept full IP addresses starting January 11, 2027.
How can advertisers keep IP addresses redacted?
Advertisers can create a new Custom Template Variable that calls Google's getAnonymizedIpAddress function and then create a new Augment event transformation that overwrites the ip_override field with the anonymized IP address.
What are the consent requirements for advertisers using Google's advertising products?
Advertisers must ensure that proper end-user notices and legally required consents are in place before data collection begins, and must strictly adhere to Google's EU User Consent Policy if using Google's advertising products in the EEA.
