New UMP SDK will spell the end of EEA developers

[pisan...@gmail.com]

I think it's unbelievable that admob sdk does not provide api for easy detection of UMP user choices. 

And it's more unbelievable that UMP will be mandatory and that it will be block ad request automatically and silently.

OBTAINED, REQUIRED, ecc... are not useful. 

Developers need to know if an AD (pers or not_pers doesn't matter) will be blocked or will be shown (regarding user choices), before users use certain functions of app.

I.E. in my app there are 42 minigames, and about 5 side functions (as stats, leaderboards, ecc...). In each game screen I show AD (banner and interstitial), but other pages are free. So, if AD will not be shown, my app has to force users to buy ad-free version (or use only the free functions). This will be no more possible with new shitty UMP sdk.

Having to manually read SharedPreferences is ridiculous, also because google does not provide a clear and well written guide to do this.

I invite all developers to abandon admob if these limitations are not resolved by the end of September 2023.

@GoogleTeam Please don't reply with the usual useless links. Reply with real and realistic solutions.

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor]

Hi,

Thank you for reaching out to us.

Before we can provide proper guidance with regard to your concern, can you further elaborate or provide us your use case on using UMP SDK? This will helps us to provide proper guidance or check with the wider team if necessary.

This message is in relation to case "ref:_00D1U1174p._5004Q2omZPq:ref"

Thanks,
 

Mobile Ads SDK Team

[Google Mobile Ads SDK Developers]

Sure.

My app has this home page. 

When an user clicks on game square (klondike, watch, ecc...) for the first time, this dialog appears:

if he selects first or second options, he enters the game, with banner on bottom (and interstitial at the and of the match).

But if he selects the third option, game does not start and he remains in home page. If he retries to open game, same dialog will be re-prompted, until he selects 1 or 2, or removes banner through IAB (with button "Remove Ads" on bottom).

Obviously, ad request will be asked with the correct tag (PERSONALIZED, NOT_PERSONALIZED), according with user's choice, and this can be changed through Settings (button "Settings" on home page bottom). Furthermore, my app also provides some functions/screens as stats or video demo (reachable with "How to play & other" button or "Stats" button on the bottom) totally free and without ads.

In other words, my app lets users play if and only if I can monetize (by ads or by IAB). 

With new UMP SDK this is no more possible, because it provides only APIs to detect if users has made the choice, but not which choice. 

Therefore if user denies consent he can play games without having to carry out IAB nor receiving ads. So I don't monetize (and also google does not monetize). In fact, if user denies consent (or limits it), admob always blocks ads and never shows them. But in this specific case, I have to know it, so I can re-show consent dialog or prompt users to buy ads-free feature.

In terms of coding, we developers need some APIs to do (at least) something like this:

if (consent.canShowAds()) { //regardless PERSONALIZED or NOT_PERSONALIZED, simply can show some ads

    playGame();

}

else {

   showAlertToExplainHowToPayForRemovingAds();

   requestConsentAgain();

}

or a SIMPLE and GUARANTEED way to implement by ourselves (perhaps, sample code provided by google-admob developers themselves, for example in the Get Started guide).

If it can help, this is my app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pisano.app.solitari (the screenshots on the Store are slightly outdated).

Thanks.

M.

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor]

Hello,

Thank you for responding back with the detailed context of your concern. We do understand where you're coming from. However, our team must comply fully and respect the EU & GDPR rules. Do kindly note that we always do strive to improve UMP SDK with each releases and update, in our efforts to slowly improve the UX while following the rules of EU & GDPR. In the meantime, you may keep an eye on our developer blog (https://ads-developers.googleblog.com/search/label/admob_sdk) regarding this.

What we can suggest at this point is to reconsider your flow on how you will ask your users to use your app.

• Instead of showing them the consent right away, you can ask them first like if they want to continue playing your app with ads or pay a small fee to proceed
• If they choose to play with ads, then load the consent  

[Google Mobile Ads SDK Developers]

So, there are 3 possibilities:

1) you and your team don't understand very well my scenario

2) you and your team understand very well my scenario but you are kidding me

3) you and your team are idiot/incompetent

In which way your suggestion can solve my problem (mine and many other developers)?

In scenario you described, user can choose to play with ads, then, in the consent dialog , he can deny consent (i can't detect his choice cause your shitty sdk) and he will be able to play without paying fee and without ads. SO I DON'T MONETIZE ANYWAY.

Provide real and realistic solutions, not just stupid and useless links or suggestions.

Or resign and leave your position to someone truly competent.

Thanks.

[Google Mobile Ads SDK Developers]

Hi.

As you can say the the team respect EU & GDPR rules.

So the rules say that if user decline ADS, simply ADS wont load, and there are no chance to detect that choice.

As many developers say this is a limitation of the API that has to been fixed before the mandatory adoption.

I don't think that in app as ie Youtube Music I can choose to not view ADS. So where is the standard?

FREE APP -> I have to monetize:

-user accept ads = ok

-user decline ads = I quit app or made some other mechanism

Now if user decline there is no way to detect so ADS simply doesn't load and we and google doesn't make money.

Are you sure you have understand the situation?

Because I read about this problem in many places, so it's an urgent problem.

thx

Il giorno martedì 19 settembre 2023 alle 12:09:27 UTC+2 Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor ha scritto:

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor]

Hi,

Thank you for your response. If you want to get the detection of the UMP user choices, the UMP SDK writes the TC String, which is comprised of many bits that can no longer be translated into a single boolean for "personalization". However, you may read the TC String per the spec and use that to determine app behavior. Kindly let us know if this still not helps you with your use case. 

[pisan...@gmail.com]

Could you provide a way to read TC String? 

Does official guide exist?

Thanks,

M.

[P. S.]

I had the same frustration just as you. But I think I found a possible solution for that:

If you develop your apps using the Flutter SDK you can use https://pub.dev/packages/iabtcf_consent_info to obtain the informations you need. Especially the consents the user has given. I think I'm going to develop a paywall based on that. If the user gives not enough consents to display ads, then the only option will be to give more consents or subscribe to the ad-free premium version using an in app purchase or subscription.

If you don't use the Flutter SDK try to look out for identical libraries for your technology. Or just check how iabtcf_consent_info obtaines its consent information by looking into its native code on Github:
https://github.com/blaugold/iabtcf_consent_info/tree/main/packages/iabtcf_consent_info

I hope this helps! Let us know!

[Test Dvd]

Hello P.S., 

Have you managed to do what you say?

Or are you still testing?

Thank you.

[P. S.]

So far I have only tested whether it would basically work. And it does. I think in the next few days I'll develop my final version and integrate it into my published apps.

[Test Dvd]

Hello P.S.,

It's great that it works for you!!

Can you answer two questions?

1) With the system you mention, instead of forcing you to buy the premium version of the app, could you prevent it from entering the app?

2) Is this system legal for Google?

Thank you

[P. S.]

Question 1:
All of my apps have the freemium model. I will implement it like this:

1. Every user can enter the app.
2. GDPR consents are obtained when necessary.
3. If the user has not given enough consent to display advertisements, various functions in the app are deactivated.
3.1 If this condition occurs, I present the user with a modal dialog in which they can choose to adjust their consent settings or purchase an ad-free version of the app.
3.2 If the user then gives the missing consents, he/she can use the app as normal. Otherwise, unfortunately not. It is the user's decision.

So the coolest features are disabled until either ads can be displayed or user has upgraded to premium.

Question 2:
I'm not sure if it meets the App Store guidelines. But why not!? Nobody is forced to consent. If someone doesn't want to agree, he/she can use the app by upgrading to a premium subscription. We'll probably only see in the review whether it complies with the AppStore guidelines.

[P. S.]

This is how the prototype now looks like. I think this is fair and honest to the users.

[bellissimo]

The slight problem there is that unless you provide detailed instructions as to how to consent to Non-Personalised ads, you are essentially forcing the user to choose between Personalised Ads or a subscription. Although there is probably nothing wrong with this with regards to policy, as an existing user I would find it a little uncomfortable being forced into Personalised Ads, especially if I was previously happy using the app with Non-Personalised Ads.

[pisan...@gmail.com]

@P.S. thank you very much. 

Finally a usefull response.

[P. S.]

@bellisimo Sure. But did you ever heard of someone died by personalized ads!?

[bellissimo]

No, but if I was using an app and had already chosen 'Non-Personalised Ads', then I would not be too impressed by then having to mysteriously  switch to 'Personalised Ads' to keep using the app for free. Not really an issue unless you have a lot of existing users, and even then may only be theoretical, but I would be concerned about negative feedback.

[Test Dvd]

Hello P.S.

You are is for android or iOS ??

Thanks

[Test Dvd]

Hello P.S,

And if the user receives consent and enters 'Options', and saves the changes, what happens?

Because they will enter the app WITHOUT ads.

I think that Google Admob can cause problems if it seems to force users to give their consent.

[P. S.]

Then the model will appear again again and again until consents are given.

Maybe an Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor can say something on this particular solution?

[Test Dvd]

Hello P.S,

I don't know if that is legal for Admob since you are forcing the user to accept consent.

Let's hope some administrator says it here.

By the way, is your app for Android or iOS?

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor]

Hi,

Thank you for contacting the Mobile Ads SDK Support team.

Upon reviewing your concern, I understand that you are concerned about the UMP consent form. Please note that you have to accept the consent form for showing ads in your application. Please refer to this UMP Documentation for more details.

Please reach out to us, if you need any further assistance.