EU Cookie Law
On May 26th 2011 a law was introduced to regulate websites and the use of cookies in them. Due to the huge task in getting websites to comply this law has not been enforced in the UK but will be from May 26th 2012. Fines of up to £500,000 can be imposed on websites that do not comply.
Cookies are used by virtually every website. If you have statistics available such as Google Analytics then your site has cookies. Many are hoping that cookies for statistical purposes will be looked on leniently. You might also have 3rd party advertising like Google Adsense and again cookies will be there.
If you are using WordPress there is a Plug In available called Cookie Control by @Sherred and Civic UK which is free to install and is being used on this website.
Don’t be caught out. This law may be somewhat stupid and shows a lack of understanding by lawmakers as to what cookies actually are (true – some can be too intrusive) and this law is damaging in many ways to our use of the Internet. Companies for example tracking affiliate code may now find that some of their network don’t get tracked and paid for the work that they have done. A cookie would show (unless someone cleans out cookies from their browser) a returning customer and credit the sale to the affiliate. That now will be more difficult unless people “allow” cookies.
Be safe and get your site compliant now.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Very interesting Roland. Quite frightening too!
At some stage, some company will be made a scapegoat for this silly law, and receive a huge fine. Let’s make sure it’s not us!
It is amazing that the Government here in the UK want to be able to track everyone’s personal messages on the Internet without a warrant and yet our websites have to ask for permission to track stats with a cookie!
Thanks for your comment Eric.
Wow, very informative as usual Roland, thank you for the heads up. I have to agree with Eric, it is quite frightening, particularly as our website has been created by a third party. I’m concerned about the effect upon Analytics in particular, do you have any links to more information specifically about that? Thanks again for another useful article!
Thanks for your comment and kind words Jade.
Analytics is included in the Cookie Law. If you have stats on your site you are using cookies and must have the option to allow. This law is really going to make things hard in Europe for stats and affiliate marketing unless a work-around can be found.
Roland, this may be a subject worth your while doing a very short 5 or 10 minute talk on at the conference I’m arranging on 17th May? Could help to promote your expertise to the audience.
What do you think?
Eric
Thank you for the suggestion. It would be good to have a brief review of the situation 5 minutes would probably give an overview and warning. It would not be possible to be too specific about every eventuality other than give the warning for website owners of the need to become compliant.
Roland
I’m puzzled by your cookie policy pop-up. I never got round to agreeing to your cookie policy yet I see the Google Analytics code has already loaded as part of your webpage code?
So how can this be compliant, surely if I don’t accept then my visit should not have been recorded?
Thanks James for your comment.The law is not yet being applied until May 26th but I assure you that the Google Analytics will not be on pages by that date.