What Is Changing and Why
The "commonly used ad technology partners" list is a default configuration within Google AdSense that determines which ad tech partners are automatically included in a publisher's programmatic advertising setup. Google's planned update to this list is aimed at ensuring it reflects the partners that are most actively working with publishers on a global scale. The selection will be driven by data collected across all programmatic demand sources, and each partner on the updated list must also meet Google's stated privacy standards.In practical terms, this means publishers who rely on the automatic default list may find that some partners are added or removed when the experiment goes live, without any manual action required on their part.
Where Publishers Can Track the Changes
Google has stated that the most current version of the list will always be available through the "Manage your ad technology partners" page in AdSense. Additionally, publishers can view their controls, their current partner list, and once the experiment begins, the experimental partners, by navigating to Privacy & messaging, then the European regulations settings page, and selecting the "Your ad partners" menu within their accounts.How to Opt Out
Publishers who prefer not to have their partner list updated automatically, or who do not wish to participate in the experiment at all, have a clear path to opt out. By selecting the option labelled "Do not automatically include commonly used ad partners," a publisher creates a custom list that is pre-filled with their current selections. From that point, the list becomes manually controlled and can be adjusted as needed, independent of any future Google experiments or updates.A Note for Publishers Using Third-Party CMPs
Publishers who collect GDPR consent through a third-party Consent Management Platform should note that this announcement does not apply to them in the same way. For those publishers, the list of ad technology partners is managed directly through their CMP provider, not through AdSense settings. They should consult their CMP provider for guidance on how any related changes may be handled on that end.The Broader Context
The update reflects ongoing efforts by Google to keep its default partner configurations aligned with real-world programmatic activity while maintaining compliance with evolving global privacy regulations. The phased approach, an experiment first, followed by a potential permanent update, suggests Google intends to evaluate publisher impact before committing to a full rollout.Publishers are encouraged to review their current ad technology partner settings ahead of April 20 to understand their baseline configuration before the experiment begins.
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