DEBtech Consent Manager — Setup Guide
This guide walks you through setting up Google Funding Choices as your consent banner, integrating it with Google AdSense or Google Ad Manager, and optionally connecting the Revenue Dashboard via OAuth2.
Google AdSense + Funding Choices Setup
If you use Google AdSense to monetize your site, follow these steps to set up the consent banner.
Go to adsense.google.com and sign in with your Google account. If you don't have an AdSense account yet, create one and get your site approved first.
In AdSense, navigate to Privacy & Messaging in the left sidebar. Click on GDPR and then "Create message". Customize the banner appearance (colors, text, logo) to match your site. Select the regions where you want the banner to appear (EEA and UK are required for GDPR).
In the GDPR message settings, go to the ad partners section. You can use Google's default selection or manually choose the vendors you work with. These are the companies that will be listed in the consent banner for your visitors.
Review your GDPR message and click "Publish". Google Funding Choices will now automatically show the consent banner to visitors from the selected regions. It may take a few minutes for the banner to appear on your site.
Install the DEBtech Consent Manager addon in your XenForo admin panel. Go to the addon settings and make sure "Enable Consent Manager" is turned on. The addon will automatically detect Google Funding Choices and start tracking consent decisions. Visit your site as a guest from an EEA country (or use a VPN) to verify the banner appears.
Google Ad Manager (GAM) Setup
If you use Google Ad Manager instead of AdSense, follow these steps. The process is similar but includes additional configuration.
Go to admanager.google.com and sign in. Navigate to Privacy & Messaging in the left sidebar.
Click on GDPR and create a new message. Customize the banner, select your ad partners and publish it. The process is the same as with AdSense.
In the addon settings under "Google API", enter your Ad Manager Network Code. You can find it in your Ad Manager account under Admin > Global Settings > Network Code. This is required for consent rate reports by device and country.
The addon automatically loads the Google Publisher Tag (gpt.js) in the page header when Ad Manager is configured. You don't need to add the GPT script manually. Google Consent Mode v2 defaults are also injected automatically before any Google tag fires.
Revenue Dashboard Setup (OAuth2)
The Revenue Dashboard shows your ad earnings directly in the XenForo admin panel. This is optional and requires OAuth2 credentials from Google Cloud Console.
Go to console.cloud.google.com. Create a new project or select an existing one.
In your project, go to APIs & Services > Library. Search for "AdSense Management API" and enable it. If you use Ad Manager, also enable the "Ad Manager API".
Go to APIs & Services > Credentials. Click "Create Credentials" and select "OAuth 2.0 Client ID". Choose "Web application" as the application type.
In the OAuth client settings, add the authorized redirect URI. You can find this URI in the addon settings page under the Google API tab. Copy it exactly as shown and paste it into the Google Cloud Console.
Copy the Client ID and Client Secret from Google Cloud Console and paste them into the addon settings under the Google API tab.
Click the "Authorize" button in the addon settings. You will be redirected to Google to grant permission. After approving, you will be redirected back to your XenForo admin panel. The Revenue Dashboard will now show your earnings data.