This will be a brief article, but it might prove useful for someone encountering a similar issue in the future. Perhaps that someone could even be me, trying to recall what I did last time this occurred.
So here's the TLDR:
Q: How to fix AdSense IAB TC string issue 7.8?
A: You don't. Just wait for Google to fix it.
The Error
One day after logging in to the AdSense website, I was greeted with this message:
We've detected an issue on your IAB TC string on one or more of your sites or apps. These errors may affect your ability to serve ads to European users. A detailed report is available for you on the EU user consent page.
The Confusion
Naturally, I was a bit confused since I hadn't made any changes to my site for at least two weeks. What could have caused this error?
I began investigating by visiting the EU user consent and learned that I could download a TCF error report to identify the problem.
Download the TCF error report and go to 'Learn more' for guidance on how to fix.
After downloading the file in CSV format, I could see precisely what the error was about. Each error is accompanied by a code (in this case 7.8), indicating what was detected and how many instances of that error were found.
Despite my initial confusion, there was a link to a website that could provide answers.
The Resolution
AdSence suggested that I look at the site https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/9999955 for more information. This page, titled "Troubleshooting TCF v2.0 Implementation," lists error codes and offers guidance on how to resolve them if possible.
TC string version field is neither 1 nor 2.
Only limited ads will be served. CMP should fix the TC string implementation errors.
Initially, I was perplexed by the various abbreviations used. What is the TC string? What is TCF handling? As it turned out, none of that mattered. All error codes starting with 7 are managed by Google (as indicated under the "Google will handle issues" header on the website).
With the description above the table stating, When these issues occur, Google will mitigate the problem, itself, when necessary and proceed with normal TCF handling.
, I had no choice but to wait for Google to address it.
After approximately a week or two, the error disappeared. I don't precisely recall how long it took for the message to vanish, but I'm fairly certain it was within 7-14 days. So, despite the initial confusion and some investigation, it turned out to be a matter that required no further attention.
