What does Google Analytics collect when a visitor rejects cookies?
It depends on the Consent Mode setup. In basic mode, Google tags do not load until consent is granted, so nothing is sent. In advanced mode, they load with consent denied and send only the consent state and cookieless pings. In neither mode are advertising cookies set for a visitor who declined.
Under the PDPL, analytics normally needs the visitor's explicit, informed consent before it runs, and Google Consent Mode v2 is how Google tags learn the choice: the analytics_storage signal stays denied until the visitor accepts analytics. When the visitor grants consent, cookies are written and full measurement data is sent.
The cookieless pings are what let Google model the visitors it no longer measures. In advanced mode, Google can use an advertiser-specific model for conversion modelling, which Google describes as more detailed than the general model; in basic mode, only the general model applies.
Read the full Saudi PDPL guideHow Arqam360 handles this
Arqam360 uses advanced consent mode by default. Before anything else, it sets ad_storage, ad_user_data, ad_personalization and analytics_storage to denied, and functionality_storage and security_storage to granted, then sends an update that matches the visitor's choice. To run basic mode instead, turn on Enforce Script Blocking.
See how it worksSources
- 1.Personal Data Protection Law — official English text (SDAIA)
- 2.Implementing Regulation of the Personal Data Protection Law (SDAIA)
- 3.Google — EU user consent policy (EEA, UK and Switzerland)
Last reviewed . Not legal advice.