Google Ad Tech Changes: Consent Mode Consolidation, IP Tracking Shift, Privacy Sandbox Death

Google's June 15 Consent Mode consolidation makes ad_storage sole gate for advertising data. 48% misconfiguration rate reported. Google will start using IP addresses for ad tracking on Aug 3, 2026, requiring consent under IAB TCF Feature 3. Google killed Privacy Sandbox APIs in October 2025; third-party cookies remain, and Consent Mode v2 is still mandatory. Immediate audit of Consent Mode implementation and CAPI match quality is critical. Intent graphs emerge as privacy-first alternative.