I built ConsentScope to inspect what websites load before cookie consent
A cookie banner can look fine while analytics scripts are already running behind it. I built ConsentScope to help investigate that gap. It's a browser extension for developers and agencies who want to check what a websi
A cookie banner can look fine while analytics scripts are already running behind it.
I built ConsentScope to help investigate that gap. It's a browser extension for developers and agencies who want to check what a website does before and after a visitor makes a consent choice.
What it does
ConsentScope brings together cookies, browser storage and third-party script activity so you can inspect them around a consent interaction.
It includes:
- Before-and-after consent views.
- Cookie classification and consent-banner detection.
- A TCF decoder for inspecting the signals reported by a site's consent management platform.
- Pro features for saved scan history, bulk audits and PDF reporting.
It doesn't replace Cookiebot, OneTrust or another consent management platform. The idea is to help test the implementation you already have.
A bug that taught me something
One issue I ran into was the TCF decoder reporting that no API was available on a page that did use TCF.
The extension was looking from an isolated execution context. Moving the relevant read into the page's main world fixed that case.
It was a useful reminder: βthe extension couldn't see itβ and βthe website doesn't expose itβ aren't the same finding.
How I'd test a client site
- Start with a clean browser profile and no saved consent choice.
- Load the page without touching the banner.
- Inspect the cookies, storage and scripts that appear.
- Reject optional consent and check again.
- Repeat in a separate clean session with acceptance.
- Test a reload and navigation to another page.
The comparison matters more than a single count. Existing cookies, missed banner events and browser settings can all affect what you're seeing.
What the results don't prove
A flagged cookie is a starting point for investigation, not a legal verdict. Classification and consent detection have limitations, and browser-side observation doesn't reveal everything happening on a server.
Under the hood
The Chrome extension uses Manifest V3 and vanilla JavaScript. The web app uses Next.js, with an Express backend and PostgreSQL for cloud features.
There's a free version and paid Pro functionality. I'm the developer, and I'm looking for feedback from people who test consent setups on real projects.
You can find the extension and feature details here:
https://www.consentscope.pro/
Chrome Webstore: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/consentscope-cookie-gdpr/bckfbligemognhkpoojinnlemmiaifmj
What tends to break most often in your consent setups: tag-manager triggers, hardcoded scripts, or client-side navigation?
Originally published by Dev.to WebDev. Aggregated on AIWithGhost for educational purposes β full credit and traffic to the original publisher.