=== CookieConsentHQ ===
Contributors: cookieconsenthq
Tags: cookie banner, cookie consent, gdpr, consent mode, ccpa
Requires at least: 6.0
Tested up to: 7.1
Requires PHP: 7.4
Stable tag: 1.0.0
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Cookie banner with prior blocking, Google Consent Mode v2 and WP Consent API support. Connect your CookieConsentHQ site in one step.

== Description ==

CookieConsentHQ adds your cookie banner to every page of your WordPress site. The banner script loads first in the head, so it can hold back trackers until the visitor agrees. It helps you comply with privacy laws such as the GDPR, the UK GDPR, the ePrivacy Directive and the CCPA/CPRA; you remain responsible for how your site uses cookies.

What the plugin does:

* Adds your CookieConsentHQ banner script first in `<head>` on every front-end page.
* Shows the right banner for each visitor's region (opt-in in the EU, EEA, UK and Switzerland; opt-out or notice elsewhere, as you set it in your dashboard).
* Blocks known trackers until consent, and sends the visitor's choice to Google Consent Mode v2.
* Supports the WP Consent API, so other plugins that read it follow the visitor's choice.
* Honors Global Privacy Control signals where your region rules ask for it.
* `[cchq_cookie_table]` shortcode: shows the cookies found on your site, grouped by category, on your cookie policy page.

Every feature of this plugin is free. Your banner design, region rules, cookie scans and consent records are managed in your CookieConsentHQ account.

= External service =

This plugin loads your banner from CookieConsentHQ's content delivery network, `https://cdn.cookieconsenthq.com/`. The banner asks `https://api.cookieconsenthq.com/` which region the visitor is in, to show the right banner, and sends each consent decision there (a random consent ID, the categories chosen, the page path, the region, and whether a Global Privacy Control signal was present; the service stores a shortened IP address and a hash of the browser's user agent) so you can show when and how consent was given. Nothing is loaded until you paste your site script URL in Settings → CookieConsentHQ.

* Service: https://cookieconsenthq.com/
* Terms of service: https://cookieconsenthq.com/legal/terms
* Privacy policy: https://cookieconsenthq.com/legal/privacy

== Installation ==

1. Install and activate the plugin from Plugins → Add New.
2. Sign in to your CookieConsentHQ dashboard, open your site, and go to the Install tab.
3. Copy the script URL. It looks like `https://cdn.cookieconsenthq.com/s/sk_xxxxxxxx.js`.
4. In WordPress, go to Settings → CookieConsentHQ, paste the URL, and click Save Changes.
5. If you use a caching or optimization plugin, clear its cache and exclude the CookieConsentHQ script from "delay JavaScript", "defer" and "combine" options.
6. Optional: add `[cchq_cookie_table]` to your cookie policy page.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Does this plugin make my site compliant? =

No plugin can do that on its own. CookieConsentHQ helps you comply: it asks for consent, blocks trackers until visitors agree, and keeps a record of each choice. Whether your site complies also depends on what it does with the data and what your privacy policy says.

= Do I need a CookieConsentHQ account? =

Yes. The banner, its settings and your consent records live in your CookieConsentHQ account. The plugin connects your WordPress site to it.

= Where does the banner appear? =

On every front-end page. It is not added to the admin area, feeds, REST API responses, or AMP pages (AMP pages cannot run the banner script).

= Can I paste the whole script tag? =

Yes. You can paste the script URL, the full `<script>` tag from the Install tab, or just the site key; the plugin saves the site key.

= Does it work with Google Tag Manager? =

Yes. Because the banner loads before Google Tag Manager, it sets Consent Mode defaults before any Google tag runs. If you prefer to load the banner from Google Tag Manager instead, use the CookieConsentHQ template from the Community Template Gallery and do not use this plugin on the same site.

== Changelog ==

= 1.0.0 =
* First release: banner script first in head, WP Consent API support, `[cchq_cookie_table]` shortcode.
