A new cookie law is set to come in on May 25th. It states that site visitors must be provided with clear and comprehensive information about the purposes of the storage of, or access to cookies, and given the opportunity to refuse their usage.
A cookie is a small file that is inserted on a user’s computer or mobile phone when they visit a website to help track, for instance, if that user is logged in. Many websites add a cookie to a user’s browser when they log in to the site to track that they are logged in, or if they leave a comment on the website’s news or blog section.
What does this mean for your business?:
To comply with the new law you may need to add cookie privacy information to your site and give the user an option not to receive cookies if your site uses them. Failure to comply could lead to large fines.
Should you be Worried?:
UK businesses have been given a year to comply with the new law so there is time to see how browsers progress in terms of their handling of cookies and how other sites react and react accordingly. We’d recommend however being proactive and starting to tackle the issue sooner rather than later.
Further Reading:
Recent News:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13541250
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18194235
Contact us if you’d like help analysing your site to see how it might be affected by the new law.
