Late `update` signal

Description

The update signal in Google Consent Mode is sent too late — meaning after the maximum allowed wait time for Google tags (typically 500 ms). When this happens, tags may fire without taking the user’s choice into account, reducing the effectiveness of Consent Mode.

Possible causes

1. If the Consent Mode script is hardcoded into the page:

   • The script uses the defer attribute, which delays execution;

   • The script is altered, cached, or delayed by an optimization system such as Rocket Loader (Cloudflare), a CDN, or a performance plugin.

2. If Consent Mode is managed via Google Tag Manager:

   • The “Wait for update” (waitForUpdate) setting has a timeout that is too short, causing tags to fire before the update signal is received.

What to check

If you are not using Google Tag Manager:

• Make sure the script is not loaded with defer ;

• Disable or configure any third-party system (e.g., Rocket Loader) that may delay or cache the script.

If you are using Google Tag Manager:

• Open the relevant tag (e.g., Analytics or Ads) ;

• Enable the “Wait for update” option ;

• Increase the timeout value — e.g., 800 ms or 1000 ms — in the appropriate field.