Consent Integration
Respect user consent choices while keeping your analytics complete. When marketing consent is denied, Tandem Beam captures events for your first-party analytics but automatically suppresses platform forwarding.
Overview
Consent integration follows a simple principle: "Collect but don't share." When a user denies marketing consent through a Consent Management Platform (CMP) like Osano, Tandem Beam continues capturing events into your first-party analytics. However, forwarding to advertising platforms (Meta, Google Ads, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.) is automatically suppressed.
Complete Analytics
Every event is captured regardless of consent status. Your first-party analytics always reflect the full picture.
Automatic Suppression
When consent is denied, platform forwarding stops automatically. No manual intervention or code changes needed.
Zero User Impact
No tracking cookies are set and no third-party scripts are injected when marketing consent is denied.
How It Works
The consent integration flows through four steps, from the user's consent decision to platform suppression:
User Interacts with Consent Banner
The visitor sees your CMP consent banner (e.g., Osano) and either accepts or denies marketing cookies. This decision is the source of truth for all downstream behavior.
ClickBeam Reads Consent Status
ClickBeam detects the consent decision from your CMP and sets a lightweight bridge cookie that communicates the consent status to the server-side tracking layer.
SkyBeam Enters Restricted Mode
SkyBeam reads the bridge cookie at the edge. If marketing consent was denied, it enters restricted mode — events are still captured via the API, but no tracking cookies or coordination scripts are injected.
Backend Suppresses Platform Dispatch
When a restricted event reaches the backend, it is saved to your analytics database but not forwarded to any advertising platforms. The event is clearly marked so you can distinguish it in reports.
Consent Modes
Every event in Tandem Beam carries a consent mode that determines how it is processed:
| Mode | When | Event Captured | Platform Forwarding |
|---|---|---|---|
null
|
No consent signal (default) | Yes | Yes — normal tracking |
restricted
|
Marketing consent denied | Yes | No — suppressed |
granted
|
Marketing consent granted | Yes | Yes — full tracking |
What Happens in Restricted Mode
When an event is captured in restricted mode, the following applies:
No Tracking Cookies
SkyBeam does not set any tracking cookies when the user has denied marketing consent.
No Coordination Scripts
No third-party coordination scripts are injected into the page response.
Event Still Captured
The event is captured via the tracking API and stored in your analytics. Your first-party data remains complete.
Visible in Real-Time Monitor
Restricted events appear in the real-time event monitor with a [R] prefix so you can easily identify consent-restricted activity.
Setup
Consent integration is enabled on a per-advertiser basis. Follow these steps to activate it:
Enabling Consent Integration
- Ensure your CMP (e.g., Osano) is installed and active on your website
- Navigate to your advertiser's SkyBeam configuration in Tandem Beam
- Enable the Consent Integration feature flag
- Redeploy your SkyBeam worker to apply the change
Supported Consent Management Platforms
Osano
Full integration with Osano's consent API. Tandem Beam automatically detects consent status and adjusts tracking behavior in real time.
Other CMPs
The consent integration architecture supports any CMP that provides a JavaScript consent API. Additional CMP integrations can be added on request.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens on the first page visit before the user interacts with the consent banner?
When no consent signal has been received yet, tracking operates normally (consent mode is null). Once the user makes a consent decision, all subsequent requests reflect that choice.
How long does the consent decision persist?
The bridge cookie that communicates consent status has a 24-hour lifetime. After expiration, the consent status is re-read from the CMP on the user's next visit.
What if our site doesn't use a CMP?
If the consent integration feature flag is not enabled for your advertiser, tracking behavior is completely unchanged. The feature is opt-in and has no effect when disabled.
Does consent affect ClickBeam as well as SkyBeam?
Yes. ClickBeam also reads the consent status and adjusts its behavior accordingly. When marketing consent is denied, ClickBeam skips tracking cookie operations and sends events with the restricted consent mode.
Can I see which events were consent-restricted?
Yes. Restricted events are clearly marked in the real-time event monitor with an [R] prefix. You can also filter by consent mode in your analytics to understand the proportion of restricted vs. normal events.
Next Steps
Enable consent integration for your advertiser, then monitor the real-time event stream to verify that restricted events are handled correctly.