EU Cookie Law Effective 26th May
The new rules affecting your use of cookies on your websites came into effect on 26th May. So if you have not already done so then you need to get to grips with what is involved.
Although the ICO (Information Commissioner's Office) is more likely to go after the big guys for non-compliance it only needs one complaint about your website to potentially trigger a review. So now is the time to deal with it.
First off, it would be a good idea to visit the ICO website and download the guidance that has been made available at www.ico.gov.uk/guidance_on_the_new_cookies_regulations.ashx
There is also a report written by econsultancy.com and available at http://econsultancy.com/uk/reports/the-eu-cookie-law-a-guide-to-compliance
Then check what cookies you are using – probably unknowingly because they will often be generated by some 3rd party services that you are using.
Ghostery (http://www.ghostery.com/) is free software that tracks what is put onto your computer when you visit a site. The information pops up in a small window and Ghostery keeps a directory of known services good, bad and indifferent. From there users can accept or block cookies individually.
The most useful feature at this stage is to install Ghostery and then take a look at your own sites to see what is active.
Now you know what users are experiencing on your sites you can put this information together with the guidance from the ICO and update your Privacy policy accordingly.
Then you need to make your website visitors aware of what you are using and why. There are a number of solutions available.
Cookie control – is free software including a WordPress plugin – visit http://www.civicuk.com/cookie-law/index
Cookie OK – http://cookieok.eu/ – uses a banner at the top of the page and is also available as a WordPress plugin
The Cookie Collective is a supportive service found at http://www.cookielaw.org/
As always, there is no point in re-inventing the wheel and it is useful to visit various major organisations to see how they are dealing with the situation.
The BBC
BBC cookie control
The Daily Telegraph
Telegraph cookie control
The Guardian
The Guardian cookie control
Related articles about the EU cookie law and implementation in the UK
