Website Care, Performance & Security
IAB TCF (Transparency and Consent Framework)
The IAB Europe Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) is an industry framework for communicating privacy-related choices and vendor information across participating digital advertising systems.
The TCF supplies policies and technical specifications used by participating consent management platforms (CMPs), publishers and advertising vendors. It standardizes certain disclosures and signaling mechanisms, such as the Transparency and Consent string, so participants can process user choices consistently within the framework. It is an industry coordination system, not a law by itself.
Publishers and vendors need to follow the current applicable TCF policies and specifications when they participate. IAB Europe documents TCF v2.3 and subsequent policy and specification changes announced during 2026, so implementers should verify their rollout timeline and compatibility with registered CMPs rather than assuming one version label remains permanent. The framework's use does not automatically prove compliance with the GDPR or other laws.
TCF is distinct from a general cookie banner: the banner may be one visible component of a broader consent management implementation. Teams should review vendor lists, disclosed purposes, interfaces, version support and recordkeeping with privacy specialists when appropriate, and avoid using framework membership as a substitute for a lawful processing analysis.