Tracking fires before cookie consent
Many websites have a cookie banner, yet some tracking tags still load right on page load, before anyone has agreed. You can't tell by looking at the site. It's typical for tracking that was installed directly in the theme or through an app and bypasses the banner.
How you notice
- Meta Pixel Helper already shows the pixel while the banner is still open.
- The developer tools show requests to Google, Meta or TikTok before you've clicked in the banner.
- Google Analytics counts roughly as many visitors as your shop system, although only part of your visitors agree in the banner.
Common causes
Tracking directly in the theme code
Code that sits in the theme loads on every page view. The banner doesn't know about it.
Apps and plugins with their own pixel
Shop apps for reviews, marketing or tracking often bring their own pixel and don't ask the banner.
Tag Manager without a consent check
In Google Tag Manager, tracking tags fire on the All Pages trigger without waiting for consent.
How to check it yourself
- 01Open your website in a private window so no earlier consent is stored. Don't click anything in the banner yet.
- 02Open the developer tools (F12), Network panel, and reload the page.
- 03Enter these filters one after another: facebook.com/tr (Meta), g/collect (Google Analytics), analytics.tiktok.com (TikTok). Every request that shows up now went out before consent.
- 04Exception: with advanced Consent Mode, Google sends requests without cookies before consent. You can recognise them by the gcs parameter in the request reading G100.
How to fix it
- Don't put tracking tags directly into the theme; route them through the cookie banner or Google Tag Manager.
- In Google Tag Manager, set for every tracking tag which consent it needs, or use a trigger that only fires after consent.
- Check your apps and plugins: many have a setting to load the pixel only after consent.
For tracking that isn't technically necessary, German and EU law (TDDDG, GDPR) usually require consent. Whether your setup fits in a given case is for your data protection officer or lawyer to judge.
Let it be checked automatically
On every check Trackneat first loads your website without consent and reports which tracking tags fire before consent. Cookieless Consent Mode requests are shown separately.
The free check shows you in about a minute which tracking tags run on your website and whether anything fires before cookie consent. No account needed.