We’ve heard so much over the past few years about GDPR and protection of personal data. In May 2018, the European GDPR regulation came into force and caused many businesses to re-evaluate how they process and store customer information.
Cookie Compliance
More recently in Ireland, the Data Protection Commission has undertaken audits of a number of websites in varying industries to gain an understanding of compliance. For the most part, a high number of websites are not compliant. The full guidance can be found here – https://dataprotection.ie/en/guidance-landing/cookies.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small files stored on your browser when visiting a website. They essentially track your movements throughout the website to improve the browsing experience by storing specific information each time you visit a site. They can also be used for many other purposes such as;
- Necessary for the function of a website
- To track data for Analytics tools (Allowing webmasters to track traffic and behaviours on the website)
- Used for Advertising in order to tailor relevant ads to a user
Earlier this year, the European Data Protection Board issued guidance regarding the use of such cookies. The main finding from this report, which you can view here – https://edpb.europa.eu/sites/edpb/ was to allow users more freedom over the use of cookies. This means that users must clearly give unambiguous consent when they land on a website. Implied consent is no longer a valid method.
Solutions
From the 5th of October 2020, the DPC will be carrying out further audits and may even issue fines where compliance is not met. 2Cubed can help you to ensure you are compliant. We have been working with a company called OneTrust to help with this. You can read more here – https://www.onetrust.com/products/cookie-compliance/. Don’t delay now, protect your website. Please contact us for more information or to get started – https://2cubed.ie/contact/.
***Please Note***
The information in this article is not intended to be legal advice or guidance. It is simply to inform you of the upcoming deadline and what you may do to help to achieve compliance on your website. Each and every website is different and therefore requires analysis individually. You should seek legal advice for all matters concerning GDPR or cookie compliance in your area of jurisdiction.
