Global Privacy Control (GPC) is a browser-based privacy signal that allows visitors to automatically communicate their privacy preferences to every website they visit. WPConsent fully supports GPC, helping you respect visitor privacy choices and comply with evolving privacy regulations.
What is Global Privacy Control?
Global Privacy Control is a simple but powerful privacy feature built into modern web browsers. When enabled, it sends a signal to websites saying: “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information.”
Think of it like a “Do Not Disturb” sign for your online privacy. Instead of having to manually decline cookies and tracking on every website, GPC communicates your preference automatically before the page even loads.
Which browsers support GPC?
- Built-in support: Firefox, Brave, and DuckDuckGo browsers have GPC enabled by default or as a simple toggle in settings
- Extension support: Chrome, Edge, and other browsers can support GPC through browser extensions like Privacy Badger or OptMeowt
Legal recognition
GPC is not just a technical standard—it carries legal weight. Under California’s privacy laws (CCPA/CPRA), businesses must honor GPC as a valid opt-out request. The 2026 CCPA regulations further strengthen this requirement, making GPC compliance increasingly important for websites with California visitors.
How WPConsent Supports GPC
When you enable GPC support in WPConsent, the plugin automatically detects and honors the GPC signal from visitor browsers. Here’s what happens when a visitor with GPC enabled arrives at your website:
- Signal detection: WPConsent checks if the visitor’s browser is sending a GPC signal
- Automatic consent application: Non-essential cookies (statistics, marketing) are automatically declined, while essential cookies remain enabled
- Banner suppression: The consent banner is not displayed—the visitor’s choice is already known and respected
- Confirmation notification: A brief toast notification appears confirming their GPC signal was honored
- Preference storage: The choice is saved so returning visitors maintain the same privacy settings
Visitors who have GPC enabled can still choose to enable additional cookies if they wish. By clicking the floating preferences button (if enabled on your site), they can open the preferences panel and adjust their settings manually.
Enabling GPC Support
To enable GPC support in WPConsent, follow these steps:
- Navigate to WPConsent → Settings in your WordPress dashboard
- Scroll down to the Advanced Settings section
- Find the “Respect Global Privacy Controls” toggle
- Toggle the setting ON
- Click Save Changes
Once enabled, WPConsent will immediately begin detecting and honoring GPC signals from visitor browsers. Additional customization options will also appear in your Banner settings.
The GPC Toast Notification
When WPConsent honors a visitor’s GPC signal, a small notification (called a “toast”) briefly appears to confirm their privacy preference was respected. This notification appears in the bottom-right corner of the screen and automatically disappears after 10 seconds, though visitors can dismiss it earlier by clicking the close button.
Why we show this notification
The 2026 updates to California’s privacy regulations (CCPA/CPRA) emphasize transparency when honoring opt-out requests. The toast notification serves several important purposes:
- Transparency: Visitors know their GPC signal was detected and acted upon
- Trust: Confirming you respect privacy choices builds confidence with privacy-conscious visitors
- Compliance: Acknowledging opt-out requests aligns with regulatory expectations
- Awareness: Some visitors may not realize their browser is sending a GPC signal—the notification helps them understand why they are not seeing a consent banner
Customizing the toast message
You can customize the message displayed in the toast notification:
- Navigate to WPConsent → Banner
- In the Content section, find “GPC Honored Message”
- Enter your preferred message (the default is “GPC Signal Honored”)
- Click Save Changes
Example messages you might use:
- “Your privacy preference has been respected”
- “GPC Signal Honored – Non-essential cookies declined”
- “Privacy choice applied automatically”
GPC Override Message
While WPConsent automatically honors GPC signals, visitors retain the ability to change their preferences if they choose. When a visitor with GPC enabled opens the preferences panel and attempts to enable non-essential cookies, they are shown a confirmation message asking them to acknowledge that this will override their GPC preference.
This safeguard ensures visitors make an informed choice when opting into tracking after previously indicating they did not want it.
Customizing the override message
- Navigate to WPConsent → Banner
- In the Content section, find “GPC Override Message”
- Edit the text as needed
- Click Save Changes
The default message is: “I understand GPC will be overwritten and want to allow this site to sell or share my personal information anyway”
Developer Reference
WPConsent provides filters for developers who need additional control over GPC behavior. These filters can be added to your theme’s functions.php file, a site-specific plugin, or using a code snippets plugin.
Disabling the toast notification
If you prefer not to show the toast notification when GPC is honored, you can disable it with this filter:
add_filter( 'wpconsent_gpc_toast_enabled', '__return_false' );Changing the toast duration
The toast notification displays for 10 seconds (10000 milliseconds) by default. You can adjust this duration:
// Change toast duration to 5 seconds
add_filter( 'wpconsent_gpc_toast_duration', function( $duration ) {
return 5000; // Duration in milliseconds
} );Available filters reference
| Filter | Default Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
wpconsent_gpc_toast_enabled | true | Enable or disable the GPC toast notification |
wpconsent_gpc_toast_duration | 10000 | Toast display duration in milliseconds |
Frequently Asked Questions
Will visitors with GPC see my consent banner?
No. When WPConsent detects a GPC signal, it automatically applies the visitor’s privacy preference and does not display the consent banner. This respects their choice without requiring any additional action.
Can visitors override GPC and enable cookies anyway?
Yes. Visitors can click the floating preferences button (if enabled on your site) to open the preferences panel. They will need to acknowledge that enabling cookies will override their GPC preference before the change takes effect.
Does GPC affect essential cookies?
No. Essential cookies required for basic website functionality are always allowed, regardless of GPC status. GPC only affects non-essential cookie categories such as statistics and marketing.
How do I test if GPC is working on my site?
The easiest way to test GPC functionality:
- Use Firefox or Brave browser (or install a GPC extension in Chrome)
- Enable GPC in your browser settings
- Clear your cookies for your website
- Visit your website
- You should see the toast notification instead of the consent banner
Is enabling GPC support required for compliance?
If your website has visitors from California, honoring GPC is required under CCPA/CPRA regulations. The 2026 regulatory updates reinforce GPC as a recognized universal opt-out mechanism. Even if not legally required for your specific situation, honoring GPC demonstrates respect for visitor privacy and builds trust.
What if a visitor has both GPC enabled and previously accepted cookies?
WPConsent checks for existing preferences before applying GPC. If a visitor has already made a consent choice on your website, that existing preference is respected. GPC is only automatically applied for new visitors or those without existing cookie preferences.
Recommended Settings
For most websites, we recommend the following GPC configuration:
| Setting | Recommended Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Respect Global Privacy Controls | Enabled | Required for CCPA compliance |
| GPC Honored Message | Default or customized | Keep it brief and clear |
| GPC Override Message | Default | Ensures informed consent when overriding |
| Toast Notification | Enabled (default) | Provides transparency to visitors |