Tired Of Those Annoying Cookie Banners?
Not too long ago, a well-meaning but poorly thought-out law was passed requiring a cookie banner be added to every website. You know, those annoying things you have to click and to accept on every visit to a new site. Cookie banners inform the visitor that the website uses cookies and asks for consent although some websites have it set up, so cookies activate before asking for consent.
Well, things may be changing yet again, but for the better this time.
Elizabeth Denham, the current information commissioner has met with her G7 counter parts to discuss technology problems they believe can be solved with closer co-operation, including the use of cookie banners.
“No single country can tackle this issue alone,” Ms Denham said. “That is why I am calling on my G7 colleagues to use our convening power. Together we can engage with technology firms and standards organisations to develop a coordinated approach to this challenge.”
Pop-up cookie banners are widely disliked by internet users and businesses. They are known as an annoying obstacle and privacy advocates believe they are dark patterns to trick people into accepting their privacy invasions.
MS Denham also believes people get frustrated with cookie banners so accept them without really knowing what they are. The information commissioner office (ICO) said it would pitch a vision for the future to allow people to set lasting privacy preferences of their choosing rather than having to do it every time with cookie pop ups. This will also ensure the public’s privacy is respected. The ICO believes this is possible to do as technology is already possible and compliant with data protection.
Achieving this will require co-operation from different technology firms.
The debate on cookies is already out there with people believing they are being tracked but some companies like Apple have already limited them by default in their software. The ICO believe this can easily be resolved if the various organisations involved pull together to make it happen.
We hope this blog has given you some information into cookies banners and the possible impending changes to them and if you’d like any advice on your website or its compliance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.