GDPR and CCPA

info

Keep in mind that it’s best to contact qualified legal professionals, if you haven’t done so already, to get more information and be well-prepared for compliance.

The General Data Protection Regulation, better known as GDPR, took effect on May 25, 2018. It's a set of rules designed to give EU citizens more control over their personal data. Any businesses established in the EU or with users based in Europe are required to comply with GDPR or risk facing heavy fines. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) went into effect on January 1, 2020. We have put together some guidelines to help publishers understand better the steps they need to take to be GDPR compliant.

You can learn more about GDPR and CCPA and their differences here.

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Step 1. Update Privacy Policy

Include Additional Information To Your Privacy Policy

Don’t forget to add information about IP address and advertising ID collection, as well as the link to Appodeal’s privacy policy to your app’s privacy policy on the App Store.

To speed up the process, you could use privacy policy generators - just insert advertising ID, IP address, and location (if you collect users’ location) in the Personally Identifiable Information you collect field (in line with other information about your app) and the link to Appodeal’s privacy policy in the Link to the privacy policy of third party service providers used by the app field.

Add A Privacy Policy To Your Mobile App

You must add your explicit privacy policies in two places: on your app’s Store Listing page and within your app.

You can find detailed instructions on adding your privacy policy to your app on legal service websites. For example, Iubenda, the solution tailored to legal compliance, provides a comprehensive guide on including a privacy policy in your app.

Make sure that your privacy policy website has an SSL certificate—this point might seem obvious, but it’s still essential.

Here are two useful resources that you can utilize while working on your app compliance:

• Privacy, Security and Deception regulations (by Google Play)
• Recommendations on Developing a Meaningful Privacy Policy (by Attorney General California Department of Justice)

note

Please note that although we’re always eager to back you up with valuable information, we’re not authorized to provide any legal advice. It’s important to address your questions to lawyers who specialize in this area.

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Step 2. Stack Consent Manager

In order for Appodeal and our ad providers to deliver ads that are more relevant to your users, as a mobile app publisher, you need to collect explicit user consent in the regions covered by GDPR and CCPA.

To get consent for collecting personal data of your users, we suggest you use a ready-made solution - Stack Consent Manager.

Stack Consent Manager comes with a pre-made consent window that you can easily present to your users. That means you no longer need to create your own consent window.

Starting from Appodeal SDK 3.0, Stack Consent Manager is included by default.

Consent will be requested automatically on SDK initialization, and consent form will be shown if it is necessary without any additional calls.

Please keep in mind that Consent will be shown only in the EU and California regions, you can use VPN for testing.

Kotlin

override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
    Appodeal.initialize(activity, appKey, adTypes, object : ApdInitializationCallback {
        override fun onInitializationFinished(list: List<ApdInitializationError>?) {
            //Appodeal initialization finished
        }
    })
}

Java

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    Appodeal.initialize(activity, appKey, adTypes, new ApdInitializationCallback() {
        @Override public void onInitializationFinished(List<? extends ApdInitializationError> list) {
            //Appodeal initialization finished
        }
    });
}

Advanced

Stack Consent Manager is included in Appodeal SDK by default. Consent will be requested automatically on SDK initialization , and consent form will be shown if it is necessary without any additional calls.

You can still use your own Consent Manager or customize ours by following the steps below.

Update User Consent

If you want the user to be able to change their mind about the value of Consent, then you can update it using the method to process and pass the user's consent:

Kotlin

Appodeal.updateGDPRUserConsent(GDPRUserConsent.Personalized)
Appodeal.updateCCPAUserConsent(CCPAUserConsent.OptIn)

Java

Appodeal.updateGDPRUserConsent(GDPRUserConsent.Personalized);
Appodeal.updateCCPAUserConsent(CCPAUserConsent.OptIn);

tip

Use the following values to set user consent for GDPR and CCPA.

GDPRUserConsent.Unknown - the status is unknown. The consent window wasn't shown.

GDPRUserConsent.Personalized - the user has granted consent for personalized ads.

GDPRUserConsent.NonPersonalized - the user has NOT granted consent for personalized ads.

CCPAUserConsent.Unknown - the status is unknown. The consent window wasn't shown.

CCPAUserConsent.OptIn - the user has granted consent for personalized ads.

CCPAUserConsent.OptOut - the user has NOT granted consent for personalized ads.

You can use these methods to provide the GDPR/CCPA user consent for ad networks in Appodeal SDK anywhere in your application. You can read more info about GDPR/CCPA here.

Manage Stack Consent

If you wish, you can manage and update consent manually using Stack Consent Manager calls.

Update Consent Status

To update the consent, call the method:

Kotlin

override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    ConsentManager.requestConsentInfoUpdate(this, "YOUR_APP_KEY", object: ConsentInfoUpdateListener() {
        override fun onConsentInfoUpdated(consent: Consent) {
            super.onConsentInfoUpdated(consent)
            // User's consent status successfully updated.
            // Initialize the Appodeal SDK with the received Consent object here or show consent window.
        }

        override fun onFailedToUpdateConsentInfo(error: ConsentManagerError) {
            super.onFailedToUpdateConsentInfo(error)
            // User's consent status failed to update.
            // Initialize the Appodeal SDK with default params.
        }
    })
}

Java

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    ConsentManager.requestConsentInfoUpdate(this, "YOUR_APP_KEY", new ConsentInfoUpdateListener() {
        @Override
        public void onConsentInfoUpdated(@NonNull Consent consent) {
            super.onConsentInfoUpdated(consent);
            // User's consent status successfully updated.
            // Initialize the Appodeal SDK with the received Consent object here or show consent window.
        }

        @Override
        public void onFailedToUpdateConsentInfo(@NonNull ConsentManagerError consentManagerError) {
            super.onFailedToUpdateConsentInfo(consentManagerError);
            // User's consent status failed to update.
            // Initialize the Appodeal SDK with default params.
        }
    });
}

tip

requestConsentInfoUpdate can be requested at any moment of the application lifecycle. We recommend call request it at the application launch. Multiple request calls are allowed.

note

Required parameters: YOUR_APP_KEY - Appodeal app key, you can get it in your personal account;

ConsentInfoUpdateListener - listener for result request.

info

If the consent information is successfully updated, the updated consent is provided via the onConsentInfoUpdated() method of the ConsentInfoUpdateListener.

Now you can receive information about the previous user consent and regulation zone.

Kotlin

// Get consent status
val consentStatus = consent.status

Java

// Get consent status
Consent.Status consentStatus = consent.getStatus();

danger

Before request these parameters are undefined.

Consent Status	Definition
UNKNOWN	The user has neither granted nor declined consent for personalized or non-personalized ads.
NON_PERSONALIZED	The user has granted consent for non-personalized ads.
PARTLY_PERSONALIZED	The user has granted partly(for a few Ad networks) consent for personalized ads.
PERSONALIZED	The user has granted consent for personalized ads.

Necessity Of Showing The Consent Window

After the onConsentInfoUpdated method was called, you need to determine if your users are subject to the GDPR and CCPA and whether you should show the consent window for the collection of personal data.

note

You can check whether to show a Consent Dialog or not. Before requestConsentInfoUpdate these parameters are undefined and there is a false value.

Kotlin

// Get current ShouldShow status
var consentShouldShow = ConsentManager.shouldShow
 if (consentShouldShow) {
    // show dialog
}

Java

// Get current ShouldShow status
boolean consentShouldShow = ConsentManager.getShouldShow();
if (consentShouldShow) {
    // show dialog
}

Show Consent Window

SDK allows calling consent window API only after request.

After the SDK requests, you can build and load the consent window. Loading allowed in any regulation zone and independent from previous consent.

note

The required parameter is Context.

Optional parameter is ConsentFormListener.

Kotlin

// Create new Consent form listener
val consentFormListener = object : ConsentFormListener() {
    override fun onConsentFormLoaded(consentForm: ConsentForm) {
        // Consent form was loaded. Now you can display consent form as activity or as dialog
    }

    override fun onConsentFormError(error: ConsentManagerError) {
        // Consent form loading or showing failed. More info can be found in 'error' object
        // Initialize the Appodeal SDK with default params.
    }

    override fun onConsentFormOpened() {
        // Consent form was shown
    }

    override fun onConsentFormClosed(consent: Consent) {
        // Consent form was closed, you may initialize Appodeal SDK here
    }
}


// Create new Consent form instance
val consentForm = ConsentForm(this, consentFormListener)

consentForm.load()

Java

// Create new Consent form listener
IConsentFormListener consentFormListener = new ConsentFormListener() {
    @Override
    public void onConsentFormLoaded(@NonNull ConsentForm consentForm) {
        // Consent form was loaded. Now you can display consent form as activity or as dialog
    }

    @Override
    public void onConsentFormError(ConsentManagerError error) {
        // Consent form loading or showing failed. More info can be found in 'error' object
        // Initialize the Appodeal SDK with default params.
    }

    @Override
    public void onConsentFormOpened() {
        // Consent form was shown
    }

    @Override
    public void onConsentFormClosed(Consent consent) {
        // Consent form was closed, you may initialize Appodeal SDK here
    }
};


// Create new Consent form instance
ConsentForm consentForm = new ConsentForm(context, consentFormListener);

consentForm.load();

You can check that the consent window is ready or not:

Kotlin

// Indicates that consent window ready to present
val loaded = consentForm.isLoaded

Java

// Indicates that consent window ready to present
boolean loaded = consentForm.isLoaded();

You can check that the consent window is showing or not:

Kotlin

// Indicates that consent window is showing
val showing = consentForm.isShowing

Java

// Indicates that consent window is showing
boolean showing = consentForm.isShowing();

After the consent window Is ready you can show it.

Kotlin

// Show consent dialog
consentForm.show()

Java

// Show consent dialog
consentForm.show();

note

After the first display of the consent window, the ConsentManager.shouldShow will be FALSE in the next sessions.

Change The User Mind About The Value Of Consent.

If you want the user to be able to change their mind about the value of Consent, then you can update it using the method if you use the Stack Consent Manager API to process and pass the user's consent.

Kotlin

Appodeal.updateConsent(consent)

Java

Appodeal.updateConsent(consent);

tip

Advanced

You can force consent manager to write iAB keys in SharedPreference by setting up storage property before the request to ConsentManager.Storage

info

SDK does not remove iAB keys from SharedPreference and only overrides them.

Kotlin

// Set storage
ConsentManager.storage = ConsentManager.Storage.SHARED_PREFERENCE
// Get storage
val iabStorage = ConsentManager.storage

Java

// Set storage
ConsentManager.setStorage(ConsentManager.Storage.SHARED_PREFERENCE);
// Get storage
ConsentManager.Storage iabStorage = ConsentManager.getStorage();

Example

You need to update the Consent value before Appodeal SDK initialization. The code below demonstrates how to show the Stack Consent Window and update the consent value if you need to separate Consent Window Showing and Appodeal SDK initialization. After the consent value is updated, you can initialize Appodeal SDK.

Kotlin

override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
    requestConsentUpdate()
}

fun initializeAppodeal() {
    Appodeal.initialize(this, appKey, adTypes) // Use this method to prevent extra ConsentInfoUpdate request.
}

fun showConsent() {
    val consentFormListener = object : ConsentFormListener() {
        override fun onConsentFormLoaded(consentForm: ConsentForm) {
            // Consent form was loaded. Now you can display consent form
            consentForm.show()
        }

        override fun onConsentFormError(error: ConsentManagerError) {
            // Consent form loading or showing failed. More info can be found in 'error' object
            // Initialize the Appodeal SDK here.
            initializeAppodeal()
        }

        override fun onConsentFormOpened() {
            // Consent form was shown
        }

        override fun onConsentFormClosed(consent: Consent) {
            // Consent form was closed. Update consant value here.
            Appodeal.updateConsent(consent)
            // Initialize the Appodeal SDK here.
            initializeAppodeal()
        }
    }

    // Create new Consent form instance
    val consentForm = ConsentForm(this, consentFormListener)

    // Show the consent form
    consentForm.load()
}

fun requestConsentUpdate() {
    // Update Consent Status. Required for show Stack Consent Window.
    ConsentManager.requestConsentInfoUpdate(this, appKey, object : ConsentInfoUpdateListener() {
        override fun onConsentInfoUpdated(consent: Consent) {
            super.onConsentInfoUpdated(consent)
            // User's consent status successfully updated.
            // Show consent window to get a user consent.
            if (ConsentManager.shouldShow) {
                showConsent()
            } else {
                // Initialize the Appodeal SDK here.
                initializeAppodeal()
            }
        }

        override fun onFailedToUpdateConsentInfo(error: ConsentManagerError) {
            super.onFailedToUpdateConsentInfo(error)
            // User's consent status failed to update.
            // Initialize the Appodeal SDK here.
            initializeAppodeal()
        }
    })

}

Java

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    requestConsentUpdate();
}

void initializeAppodeal() {
    Appodeal.initialize(this, appKey, adTypes);  // Use this method to prevent extra ConsentInfoUpdate request.
}

void showConsent() {
    IConsentFormListener consentFormListener = new ConsentFormListener() {
        @Override
        public void onConsentFormLoaded(@NonNull ConsentForm consentForm) {
            // Consent form was loaded. Now you can display consent form
            consentForm.show();
        }

        @Override
        public void onConsentFormError(ConsentManagerError error) {
            // Consent form loading or showing failed. More info can be found in 'error' object
            // Initialize the Appodeal SDK here.
            initializeAppodeal();
        }

        @Override
        public void onConsentFormOpened() {
            // Consent form was shown
        }

        @Override
        public void onConsentFormClosed(Consent consent) {
            // Consent form was closed. Update consant value here.
            Appodeal.updateConsent(consent);
            // Consent value was updated.
            // Initialize the Appodeal SDK here.
            initializeAppodeal();
        }
    };

    // Create new Consent form instance
    ConsentForm consentForm = new ConsentForm(this, consentFormListener);

    // Show the consent form
    consentForm.load();
}

void requestConsentUpdate() {
    ConsentManager.requestConsentInfoUpdate(this, appKey, new ConsentInfoUpdateListener() {
        @Override
        public void onConsentInfoUpdated(@NonNull Consent consent) {
            super.onConsentInfoUpdated(consent);
            // User's consent status successfully updated.
            // Show consent window to get a user consent.
            if (ConsentManager.getShouldShow()) {
                showConsent();
            } else {
                // Initialize the Appodeal SDK here.
                initializeAppodeal();
            }
        }

        @Override
        public void onFailedToUpdateConsentInfo(@NonNull ConsentManagerError consentManagerError) {
            super.onFailedToUpdateConsentInfo(consentManagerError);
            // User's consent status failed to update.
            // Initialize the Appodeal SDK here.
            initializeAppodeal();
        }
    });
}

Custom Consent Window

If you don't want to use the Stack Content Manager SDK, you can use another solution to get user's consent and provide it before Appodeal SDK initialization.

Publishers need to pass the consent before the initialize method of our SDK using the following methods.

Kotlin

Appodeal.updateGDPRUserConsent(GDPRUserConsent.Personalized)
Appodeal.updateCCPAUserConsent(CCPAUserConsent.OptIn)

Java

Appodeal.updateGDPRUserConsent(GDPRUserConsent.Personalized);
Appodeal.updateCCPAUserConsent(CCPAUserConsent.OptIn);

tip

Use the following values to set user consent for GDPR and CCPA.

GDPRUserConsent.Unknown - the status is unknown. The consent window wasn't shown.

GDPRUserConsent.Personalized - the user has granted consent for personalized ads.

GDPRUserConsent.NonPersonalized - the user has NOT granted consent for personalized ads.

CCPAUserConsent.Unknown - the status is unknown. The consent window wasn't shown.

CCPAUserConsent.OptIn - the user has granted consent for personalized ads.

CCPAUserConsent.OptOut - the user has NOT granted consent for personalized ads.

note

Providing consent values before initialization prevents the build-in showing of the Stack Consent Window. You should use this approach to disable the consent window shown in GDPR/CCPA zones or if you want the user to be able to change their mind about the value of Consent.

Example

The example below shows the case of showing a Custom Content Window using the Stack Consent Manager Logic for determination of showing necessity.

Kotlin

fun initializeAppodeal() {
    Appodeal.initialize(this, appKey, adTypes) // Use this method to prevent extra ConsentInfoUpdate request.
}

override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)

    ConsentManager.requestConsentInfoUpdate(this, appKey, object: ConsentInfoUpdateListener() {

        private fun updateCcpaConsentValue(wasGranted: Boolean) {
            if (wasGranted) {
                Appodeal.updateCCPAUserConsent(CCPAUserConsent.OptIn)
            } else {
                Appodeal.updateCCPAUserConsent(CCPAUserConsent.OptOut)
            }
        }

        private fun updateGdprConsentValue(wasGranted: Boolean) {
            if (wasGranted) {
                Appodeal.updateGDPRUserConsent(GDPRUserConsent.Personalized)
            } else {
                Appodeal.updateGDPRUserConsent(GDPRUserConsent.NonPersonalized)
            }
        }

        override fun onConsentInfoUpdated(consent: Consent) {
            if (ConsentManager.shouldShow) {
                var customConsentValue = // true or false. Show your custom consent to get the user decision.
                updateCcpaConsentValue(customConsentValue)
                updateGdprConsentValue(customConsentValue)
            }

            initializeAppodeal()
        }

        override fun onFailedToUpdateConsentInfo(error: ConsentManagerError) {
            initializeAppodeal()
        }
    })
}

Java

void initializeAppodeal() {
    Appodeal.initialize(this, appKey, adTypes);  // Use this method to prevent extra ConsentInfoUpdate request.
}

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

    ConsentManager.requestConsentInfoUpdate(this, appKey, new ConsentInfoUpdateListener() {

        private void updateCcpaConsentValue(boolean wasGranted) {
            if (wasGranted) {
                Appodeal.updateCCPAUserConsent(CCPAUserConsent.OptIn);
            } else {
                Appodeal.updateCCPAUserConsent(CCPAUserConsent.OptOut);
            }
        }

        private void updateGdprConsentValue(boolean wasGranted) {
            if (wasGranted) {
                Appodeal.updateGDPRUserConsent(GDPRUserConsent.Personalized);
            } else {
                Appodeal.updateGDPRUserConsent(GDPRUserConsent.NonPersonalized);
            }
        }

        @Override
        public void onConsentInfoUpdated(@NonNull Consent consent) {
            if (ConsentManager.getShouldShow()) {
                boolean customConsentValue = // true; or false; Show your custom consent to get the user decision.
                updateCcpaConsentValue(customConsentValue);
                updateGdprConsentValue(customConsentValue);
            }
            initializeAppodeal();
        }

        @Override
        public void onFailedToUpdateConsentInfo(@NonNull ConsentManagerError consentManagerError) {
            initializeAppodeal();
        }
    });
}