Access Level Model Explained
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Applies to: All users This article explains the Access Level consent model used across both interfaces. |
Overview
Compliance by Hu-manity.co uses a three-level consent model called Access Levels. When a visitor interacts with your consent banner, they choose one of these levels. Each level controls which categories of scripts and trackers are allowed to run.
The Three Access Levels
| Access Level | Visitor Action | What It Allows | Internal Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private | Reject / Decline | Basic Operations only — only essential scripts required for the site to function (Category 1) | 1 |
| Balanced | Accept / Allow Essentials | Basic Operations + Content Personalization + Site Optimization (Categories 1, 2, 3) — no ad tracking | 2 |
| Personalized | Accept All | All purpose categories enabled, including Ad Personalization (Categories 1, 2, 3, 4) — full tracking and personalization | 3 |
How Access Levels Map to Script Categories
Each tracker on your site is assigned to one of four consent categories:
- Basic Operations — essential for your site to function (always allowed)
- Content Personalization — personalizes content for visitors
- Site Optimization — measures traffic and performance (e.g., analytics)
- Ad Personalization — enables targeted advertising
When a visitor selects an access level, all script categories up to and including that level are permitted. A visitor choosing Balanced (level 2) allows categories 1–3 but blocks category 4 (Ad Personalization).
Two-Choice Mode vs. Three-Choice Mode
You can configure your banner to present either two or three choices to visitors:
Three-Choice Mode (Default)
The banner displays three buttons, one for each access level:
- Private (Reject) — Basic Operations only
- Balanced (Accept) — Essentials + performance, no ads
- Personalized (Accept All) — everything enabled
This mode gives visitors granular control and is recommended for GDPR compliance, as it allows visitors to accept analytics without accepting ad tracking.
Two-Choice Mode
The banner displays two buttons:
- Private (Reject) — Basic Operations only
- Personalized (Accept) — all purposes enabled
The Balanced level is excluded. This is a simpler experience but offers less granularity. In two-choice mode, if the current default consent level is set to Balanced (2), it automatically resets to Private (1).
How to Configure Choice Mode
The number of consent choices is configured in the Hu-manity.co portal:
- Log in at app.hu-manity.co.
- Navigate to Configuration → Consent.
- Find the Number of Consent Choices setting.
- Select 2 (Private + Personalized) or 3 (Private + Balanced + Personalized).
- Click Save or Publish.
Customizable Labels
The display names for each access level can be customized in the portal. The default labels are “Private,” “Balanced,” and “Personalized,” but you can change them to match your brand voice. For example:
- “Reject All” instead of “Private”
- “Accept Essentials” instead of “Balanced”
- “Accept All” instead of “Personalized”
Custom labels are configured in the portal under Configuration → Consent in the consent level text fields.
Default Consent Level
You can set a default consent level that determines the visitor’s access level before they interact with the banner. This is the level applied if the visitor has not yet made a choice. The configurable default is set in the portal under Configuration → Consent.
How Consent Modes Use Access Levels
Consent Mode integrations (Google Consent Mode v2, Facebook, Microsoft) use access levels to determine when to fire their tracking signals. Each consent signal can be configured to activate at a specific threshold:
- Always (even on Reject) — fires regardless of access level (level 1+)
- Balanced or above — fires at Balanced (level 2) or Personalized (level 3)
- Accept All only — fires only at Personalized (level 3)
In two-choice mode, the “Balanced or above” option is not available since there is no Balanced level.
These signal thresholds are configured in the Consent Modes section of the WordPress admin (reachable from both the Protection tab and the Settings tab via the Trackers & Consent Modes status card).
Access Levels in Compliance Behavior
The Compliance Behavior section in the Protection tab shows which compliance settings are active and which laws they satisfy. Several settings interact with access levels:
- Refuse button — displays a button allowing visitors to choose the Private (Reject) level. Required by GDPR, UK PECR, LGPD, PIPEDA, and POPIA.
- Revoke consent — floating widget that lets visitors change their access level after initial selection.
- Accept on scroll / click / close — auto-assigns the Personalized (Accept All) level on certain interactions. These are flagged as non-compliant for strict privacy laws.