Is the Google Analytics connection with Meta GDPR-compliant? A practical explanation

Setting up the GA4 and Meta connection in an GDPR-compliant way — a question that is increasingly surfacing now that Meta has released a new integration between Google Analytics and Meta Events Manager in early 2025. If you use GA4 to analyse your website and advertise on Meta Ads, it's important to know exactly what is being shared and whether it can be GDPR-compliant. In this article, we explain what the integration entails, what data is exchanged between the platforms, and what the GDPR implications are for your business or that of your clients. We also answer the question of whether a GA4 property that only listens to ad_storage is sufficient to be compliant.

De Google Analytics-integratie met Meta Events Manager maakt het mogelijk om data naar zowel Google Analytics als Meta Events Manager te sturen. Dit betekent dat je je websitebezoekers nauwkeurig kunt volgen en gerichte advertenties kunt maken, en tegelijkertijd gedetailleerde inzichten kunt verkrijgen in het gedrag van gebruikers op je website.

Meta (the parent company of Facebook) released a partner integration for Google Analytics in early 2025. This integration allows advertisers to import reporting data from Google Analytics directly into their Meta Ads Manager account to supplement campaign and conversion reporting.

The benefits that Meta mentions are:

• An average of 5% more conversions in their analytics tools
• Early access to updates that can improve campaign performance
• Better insights into campaign performance without implementing extra tracking

This integration works differently from the traditional way Google Analytics and Meta work together (via the Meta PixelWith this new integration, data is shared directly between the platforms via an API connection.

Which data is shared between Google Analytics and Meta?

With this specific integration, event data is shared from GA4 over to Meta. When you set up the integration, you grant Meta permission to:

1. To view your reporting data, including all dimensions and metrics for your site or app.
2. To see how your site or app data is organised, processed, and integrated with other Google products

The most important thing to know is that none of the standard dimensions or metrics available in GA contain user or device identifiers. In simple terms, this means that Meta will get access to:

• Collected totals of actions on your website (such as number of purchases)
• Information about those actions (such as amounts, campaign information)
• NOT: personal information that could reveal who carried out these actions

The GDPR states that for the integration of Google Analytics and Meta Ads, there must be a lawful basis for processing personal data. This typically requires explicit and informed consent from the user, where they are clearly informed about the data being collected, the purpose of the processing, and the possible risks. It also requires that data is only used for the specified purpose and that users have the right to access, rectify, and erase their data. Furthermore, the transfer of data to countries outside the EU/EEA must be compliant with GDPR requirements for international data transfers, often requiring Standard Contractual Clauses or other appropriate safeguards.

Is personal data being shared?

Based on the available information, it appears that no personal data is being shared from GA to Meta as a result of this integration. This is for two reasons:

1. The standard dimensions and metrics in GA do not include user or device identifiers.
2. Even if you use custom dimensions containing identifiers, Meta has no context to link them to specific users

This means that formal GDPR obligations do not apply to this specific integration.

Is additional permission required?

Since no personal data is being shared, no additional consent is likely to be required specifically for this integration. However:

• You still need permission for the use of Google Analytics itself
• You still need consent to use the Meta Pixel if you have it on your website
• Your privacy policy must state that you share data between analytics platforms and advertising platforms

What if you have a GA4 property that only listens to `ad_storage`?

A frequently asked question is whether you can be GDPR-compliant with a Google Analytics 4 (GA4) property that only listens to the ad_storage signal. Let's look at this in the context of the Meta Events Manager integration. The ad_storage signal in Google Consent Mode determines whether Google tags are allowed to use cookies for advertising purposes. When a visitor does not give consent for ad_storage (the value is then “denied”), these cookies are not placed or read. For the specific Google Analytics integration with Meta Events Manager, a setup that only listens to ad_storage is likely sufficient from a GDPR perspective, because:

1. The integration itself does not share personal data
2. The integration uses aggregated data that has already been collected in GA.
3. Permission for collecting this data is already being managed via ad_storage

However, for full GDPR-compliant use of GA4 in general, it is still recommended to configure all relevant consent signals (analytics_storage, ad_storage, ad_user_data, ad_personalization).

Practical steps for a GDPR compliant setup

If you wish to implement the Google Analytics integration with Meta Events Manager, these are the steps you need to take for an AVG-compliant setup:

1. Check your Google Analytics configuration:

• Ensure your Google Analytics is correctly configured with Google Consent Mode
• Check that you are not sharing custom dimensions that contain personal data

2. Update your privacy policy:

• State that you are sharing your data between your analytics platform (Google Analytics) and advertising platforms (Meta).
• Explain what type of data is shared (aggregated, non-personal data)
• State the purpose of this data sharing (campaign optimisation and reporting)

3. Implement a good Consent Management Platform (CMP):

• Use a Google-certified CMP like Cookiebot
• Configure the CMP to ask for consent for both Google Analytics and Meta Pixel

4. Configure the integration correctly:

• When setting up the integration, choose whether you want to share all event data or only that from Meta campaigns
• Document the choices you have made for your GDPR administration

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

When implementing the Google Analytics integration with Meta Events Manager, these are common errors:

Error 1: Assuming there are no privacy considerations

Although the integration itself is unlikely to share personal data, it's still important to update your privacy policy and be transparent about data sharing between platforms.

Error 2: Sharing custom dimensions with personal data

Check that you haven't configured custom dimensions that contain personal data, such as email addresses or customer numbers.

Error 3: Forgot to update your privacy policy

Ensure your privacy policy specifically states that you share data between Google Analytics and Meta for advertising purposes.

Conclusion

The Google Analytics integration with Meta Events Manager is relatively low-risk from a GDPR perspective, as no personal data is shared between the platforms. This means you can implement this integration without significant additional GDPR obligations, as long as you already meet the basic requirements for using Google Analytics and Meta Pixel.

A GA4 property that only listens to ad_storage is likely sufficient for this specific integration, but for general GDPR-compliant use of GA4, we recommend configuring all relevant consent signals. By following the steps in this article, you can leverage the benefits of the Google Analytics integration with Meta Events Manager in a way that is both effective for your business and respectful of your visitors' privacy.