Website EU Cookie Law and Google

[markb]

Hi All,

I just got an email from google reminding me about adding a cookie consent option to my websites by no later than the end of september.

Previously I just had a message at the bottom saying if you carry on using the site you accept the use of our cookies, but a link to a page saying how to disable cookies.

I have now decided to add a popup to get consent as google has requested.

I don't want to end up being punished by google for not adding this to all my websites.

What does everyone else do about this on your own sites? Do you have any information on what is the minimum required etc???? Is anyone an expert on this and want to let me know if my website complies, if so pm me.

Thanks

 

[dazc]

The thing is are google going to enforce it or is just sending the email going to be the end of it?

One of the tools they recommend is silktide. It is fairly easy to add and looks not too bad. I'll probably use it, begrudgingly.

 

[markb]

The thing is are google going to enforce it or is just sending the email going to be the end of it?

One of the tools they recommend is silktide. It is fairly easy to add and looks not too bad. I'll probably use it, begrudgingly.

That's the one I have just added to my site. I didn't want to do it, I hate popups of any kind as they really annoy me on other websites.

I am just a bit wary of google punishing my site for not using the cookie consent. They do have a track record of punishing websites that don't follow their rules.

 

[dazc]

I am just a bit wary of google punishing my site for not using the cookie consent. They do have a track record of punishing websites that don't follow their rules.

It's not really their rule to be fair, but I know what you mean. I'm going to hang out until the very last minute.

That said, these cookie consent things are so ubiquitous now it may add a degree of credibility?

The crazy thing is that most of the sites using them have already stuffed your browser full of cookies before the banner even loads.

 

[ian]

Not a fan of introducing more reasons for visitors to leave, especially pop ups. Wonder if a simple statement at the bottom about consent if you continue to use the site is enough?

 

[markb]

Not a fan of introducing more reasons for visitors to leave, especially pop ups. Wonder if a simple statement at the bottom about consent if you continue to use the site is enough?

Ian, Thats exactly what I have always done, had a fixed footer bar, saying that by using the site you agree to our cookies info, detailed on our cookies page. I still received the google email though, so thats why I am asking here.

 

[ian]

Ian, Thats exactly what I have always done, had a fixed footer bar, saying that by using the site you agree to our cookies info, detailed on our cookies page. I still received the google email though, so thats why I am asking here.

To be fair, I received the email to a generic gmail account of mine which has no association with any other Google services, nor linked to any websites I operate....yet haven't received the same to my email address associated with a adwords campaign and retail website, so who knows!

 

[Adam H]

Google may not have a place to enforce the usage on a generic site, but they do have a high focus on user experience and user safety which "could" co-inside with some kind of weighted argument such as the usage/push of SSL for example, a website that is seen to be showing the best interests of their users "could potentially" see preference in some instances.

Nothing is going to be in black and white but "User experience" comes in many forms, think of it logically and there are possibilities of so many factors which could be beneficial to a sites users whether it be via safety or ease of use.

But no you do not "need" these stupid little popups which take focus away from the sites content/products as soon as the user lands, all you legally need to have is a proper cookie/privacy policy and at most a little bit of text somewhere in plain sight whether it be in the footer, header saying "hey we use cookies for certain functions, please read our cookie policy for more detailed information" kind of thing.

A proper privacy and cookie policy has been something that Google has been enforcing for years if you use their Services such as Adsense etc.

 

[Adam H]

Following my reply a moment ago i just remembered seeing a similar email this morning in my inbox, it is to do with their services I.e Google Adsense which its nothing new that you need to have proper Privacy and cookie policies to be compliant , its not a specific warning to a site, its an announcement to make sure you comply with the latest changes to their policy :

Dear Publisher,

We want to let you know about a new policy about obtaining EU end-users’ consent that reflects regulatory and best practice guidance. It clarifies your duty to obtain end-user consent when you use products like Google AdSense, DoubleClick for Publishers, and DoubleClick Ad Exchange.

Please review our new EU user consent policy as soon as possible. This requires that you obtain EU end users’ consent to the storing and accessing of cookies and other information, and to the data collection, sharing, and usage that takes place when you use Google products. It does not affect any provisions on data ownership in your contract.

Please ensure that you comply with this policy as soon as possible, and not later than 30th September 2015.

If your site or app does not have a compliant consent mechanism, you should implement one now. To make this process easier for you, we have compiled some helpful resources at cookiechoices.org.

This policy change is being made in response to best practice and regulatory requirements issued by the European data protection authorities. These requirements are reflected in changes recently made on Google’s own websites.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.
Regards,
The Google Policy Team

 

[markb]

Following my reply a moment ago i just remembered seeing a similar email this morning in my inbox, it is to do with their services I.e Google Adsense which its nothing new that you need to have proper Privacy and cookie policies to be compliant , its not a specific warning to a site, its an announcement to make sure you comply with the latest changes to their policy :

Thats the email I received, so I dont need the popup cookie consent ?

 

[Adam H]

Thats the email I received, so I dont need the popup cookie consent ?

You dont need a popup on any site unless you feel thats the only way you can make it apparent to your users( On some sites you might think its the best option, on most its just an annoyance ) , you just need a clear cookie/privacy policy with some kind of notice/route so users can easily find it with out having to dive through hoops.

Googles official User consent policy is as follows :

When using Google products that incorporate this policy, certain disclosures must be given to and consents obtained from end users in the European Union.

For end users in the European Union:

You must use commercially reasonable efforts to disclose clearly, and obtain consent to, any data collection, sharing and usage that takes place on any site, app, email publication or other property as a consequence of your use of Google products; and
You must use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that an end user is provided with clear and comprehensive information about, and consents to, the storing and accessing of cookies or other information on the end user’s device where such activity occurs in connection with a product to which this policy applies.

 

[Adam H]

Ive always included this link in my privacy Policies which is pretty simple understanding for users should they wish to navigate through to it from my Privacy Policy :

http://www.google.com/policies/technologies/ads/

 

[markb]

Hi,

The part below in the google email makes it look like you have to get consent from the users that your site uses cookies, for example a button to click ok? A maybe reading this all wrong but I think it is important for people who run adsense on their sites that they are doing things correctly.

"Please ensure that you comply with this policy as soon as possible, and not later than 30 September 2015.

If your site or app does not have a compliant consent mechanism, you should implement one now. To make this process easier for you, we have compiled some helpful resources at cookiechoices.org."

 

[spiderspider]

Was it not juts last month that Google was saying it was going to crack down on companies that have pop ups as this is ruining the 'user experience' as the pop up rarely has anything to do with the page that's been loaded.

Personally, for cookies, use something like a banner, rather than a pop over. Banners can be ignored if needed, yet pop overs prevent page usage.

There is a Wordpress plugin 'UK Cookie Consent' that we load onto our sites.

 

[Adam H]

http://www.cookiechoices.org : Its actually quite confusing reading their own take on it in the link.

In one instance it does look like they are saying if you use Google adsense you need to stop ad tags being served until an acceptance of the user has been given which requires you to edit one of the vendors plugin/widgets to make it do so.

But then further down the page it kind of says that a short paragraph with a link to a privacy policy will suffice...................So i guess you need to read into it what you believe is right.

Personally ill be keeping it the same as i currently have it, Having someone actively click an acceptance to allow the ad tags to lay the cookie will reduce revenue considerably in my opinion. Ill wait until my Adsense manager tells me im doing it wrong before acting lol

 

[DLOE]

There is always a better alternative to Adsense but it seems that a lot of webmasters rather spend their time looking at CPC and Google search volume and build shit websites(been there, done that)

 

[humble pie]

sorry dude, for what it is there is no better alternative.. when did you get banned then


alternative

There is always a better alternative to Adsense but it seems that a lot of webmasters rather spend their time looking at CPC and Google search volume and build shit websites(been there, done that)