Google Consent Mode in c15t helpers

Google loads before a choice by default

With the default loadMode: 'always', the googleTagManager and gtag helpers set alwaysLoad: true. Before the visitor chooses, the helper creates the dataLayer queue, sends gtag('consent', 'default', ...) with the current permissions and loads Google's script. After each permission change it sends gtag('consent', 'update', ...). Google's tags then adjust what they store and send; see Google's Consent Mode overview.

So the browser contacts Google before consent. If your policy requires no Google request until the visitor allows it, set loadMode: 'after-consent'. The helper then creates nothing and requests nothing until its category is allowed. When it loads, it sends the default command first, with the permissions at that moment, and update commands after later changes. Under an opt-out or none policy, optional categories are allowed before a choice, so the helper loads on the first page.

How categories map to Google consent types

Each Google type is granted when its category is allowed and denied otherwise. If a visitor turns off the helper's vendor, every optional type is sent as denied. The consentMapping option replaces the whole table, so include every category you still want signalled.

Under an opt-out policy, the default command can grant types before the visitor has chosen anything. That is a permission, not a recorded choice.