HighChecked on every planEU · UK
Embedded content loads before consent
Can a YouTube video or Google Map load before cookie consent?
Not without consent. An embedded YouTube video, Vimeo player, Google Map or social post loads the other company’s page inside yours, which sends the visitor’s IP address and lets it set cookies. In the EU and the UK, show a preview and load the embed only after a click or consent.
Why it matters
An embedded player or map is a third party’s page inside yours. Loading it sends the visitor’s IP address to that company and lets it set its own cookies, which in the EU and the UK needs consent first. Regulators treat embeds like any other third-party content.
How to fix it
- Show a preview image with a “Load video” or “Show map” button, and load the embed only when the visitor clicks it or accepts that category in your banner.
- Most consent tools can block embeds until consent: put YouTube, Vimeo, Maps and social embeds in the “Marketing” or “Functional” category.
- For YouTube, the youtube-nocookie.com address sets fewer cookies, but it still loads from Google before a choice.
The law behind this rule
EUePrivacy Directive Art. 5(3): storing or reading on a device needs prior consentUKUK PECR Reg. 6: cookies and similar technologies
A plain summary, not legal advice.