Is Google Analytics 4
GDPR Compliant?
The short answer is: Only if you configure it correctly. Here is exactly what you need to change in your settings.
The Core Problem
Google Analytics tracks user data (IP addresses, device IDs, behavior) which constitutes "Personal Data" under GDPR. If you collect this data from EU citizens without explicit, prior consent, you are violating the law.
3 Steps to Compliance
1. Enable IP Anonymization
In Universal Analytics (UA), this was optional. In GA4, IP anonymization is enabled by default and cannot be turned off. However, Google still processes IP addresses to determine location (Country/City) before discarding them.
2. Shorten Data Retention
By default, GA4 retains user-level data for 2 months. You can extend this to 14 months, but under GDPR, you should only keep data as long as necessary. We recommend reviewing this setting in Admin > Data Settings > Data Retention.
3. Implement Consent Mode v2 (Critical)
This is the most important step. You must not load the GA4 script until the user consents. However, waiting for consent causes a 30-70% drop in data.
The Solution: Google Consent Mode v2.
It allows GA4 to load in a "denied" state initially. It sends pings without cookies/identifiers. When the user consents, it updates to full tracking. Cookie-Consent.ai handles this negotiation automatically.
Pro Tip: For a broader look at compliance beyond just Analytics, check our Ultimate 2025 Compliance Checklist .
Server-Side Tagging?
For maximum compliance, some companies use Server-Side GTM to strip personally identifiable information (PII) before sending it to Google's US servers. This is safer but requires expensive infrastructure. For 99% of businesses, a proper Cookie Banner + Consent Mode is sufficient.
Make GA4 compliant instantly
Our script automatically configures Consent Mode signals for GA4.
Start for Free