Google: Introducing Programmatic Bidding Support for Limited Ads

​Google is going to launch programmatic bidding on inventory that qualifies for Limited ads starting in Q1 2024. When publishers are serving Limited Ads, this new serving mode will enable contextual programmatic demand. It will also enable demand from Google Demand, Authorized Buyers, Open Bidders, and SDK Bidding.

In the event that you choose to utilize this new serving mode, Google will use local storage and invalid traffic detection-only cookies despite user consent signals being passed with limited ad requests. Thus, in the event that (1) there is no certified CMP present, (2) the &LTD=1 flag is present in the ad request, or (3) a user has declined consent for Purpose 1 of IAB Europe's Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF), programmatic demand will be enabled (and an invalid traffic-only cookie and local storage will be used), and the signal for all other lawful bases required for Limited Ads will be present in the TC string.

This feature is optional because Google understands that publishers may have different opinions about whether or not local storage and invalid traffic-only cookies should require user consent and that publishers are legally accountable for the tools they use. Because programmatic demand requires invalid traffic protection, the invalid traffic-only cookie is necessary for this inventory..

Google advises publishers to discuss whether to use this functionality with their legal teams, considering all available regulatory guidance and relevant rules. Publishers will have to decide whether or not to utilize this feature and whether or not to obtain user authorization before using invalid traffic-only cookies and local storage on their own websites or applications. Publishers should disable this functionality if they do not want to employ local storage without user authorization or invalid traffic-only cookies.

​Turn on and off programmatic limited ads (once this feature is available)

Programmatic limited ads are turned on by default and can be turned off at any time. Complete the following steps to turn on or off programmatic limited ads:

Ad Manager

• Sign in to Google Ad Manager.
• Navigate to Admin and then Global settings and then Network settings.
• Turn on/off Programmatic limited ads.
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save.

AdMob

• Sign in to your AdMob account at https://apps.admob.com.
• Navigate to Settings and then Account information.
• Turn on/off Programmatic limited ads.

AdSense

• Sign in to your AdSense account.
• Navigate to Brand Safety and then Blocking controls and then Ad serving.
• Turn on/off Limited ads.