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The EU Cookie Law

Started by julieHB, May 25, 2012, 10:39:47 AM

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julieHB

For those of you with websites - this may affect you:

http://www.cookielaw.org/the-cookie-law-explained.aspx

I don't think there is great need to panic, but we need to look into it, find out which cookies are used by our website, and which steps are necessary to take. I don't know much about it yet, but I'll certainly add some sort of disclaimer to my T&C.

if you use third party cookies on your site (adverts, social sharing buttons) I believe you have to offer an option to block on your website.

I hope those of you much more knowledgeable than myself can shed some more light on what is required.
Julie xx

                           My Webbie - My Flickr

MangoBeads

oooh will watch this with interest although i cant be of any help !!!

Blue Box Studio

Will have to wait until someone explains this to me in words of one syllable or less. 
Sue
Website ~ Etsy ~ Blog ~ Flickr

Ben

We've made changes relating to this at work. After much faffing the conclusion was that a prominent statement to the effect that we use cookies was sufficient legal cover.

My suggestion would be that if you don't know that you are setting cookies on your site you probably don't need to worry. I imagine that if you use a site builder type thingy then any cookies set by their framework are their responsibility as you don't have control over what they set. If you role your own code for your site and include things like Google adverts or some kind of traffic monitoring third party then chances are you should make some changes to tell your users about this. Take a look at the information commissioner's office website to see how they have implemented the 'opt-in' thing (at the top of the page there's a statement and check box).

On the whole I think it highly unlikely that this legislation will be used to prosecute relatively low traffic site owners - it's more aimed at the big boys (and girls).

If anybody is even more confused now feel free to ask questions and I'll do my best to answer you.

*****Disclaimer: I'm not a legal expert and if someone sues you for not telling them about cookies you use don't blame me  ;D****

ScarletLeonard

After a quick glance I would say for the most part we are fine.

I think the only issue we could run into is if your site uses cookies to hold guest checkout information.
(their details are still there next time they come back) which there should always be an opt out button for that anyway because the person may be using a public computer.

As far as we go the only data we collect is from checkouts and it is also only ever used by us and simply just to process the order. I have cookies that hold a cart for a set period of time and as far as I can see, that is fine because I am not collecting any data that cookie is purely end user. (I can see if there are carts but cannot see the contents or who has it.

If anyone has a recommended products feature though that is based of previous purchases by that individual then you may be on the line there.

I think I'll just expand the privacy policy section of my terms and conditions to inform people of any cookies on my site. Just to make sure I am covered. 


Kalorlo

Grrr. The whole thing was drafted by people who don't actually understand how the internet works and are happily creating legislation to make websites being used by EU customers have to jump through hoops without actually aiding privacy concerns in any way.  >:(

Oh, and the cookielaw sites (.org, .com and cookiedirective) are set up by a company trying to sell overpriced solutions and 'cookie audits' to worried website owners. They aren't official information sources: that would be the ICO that Ben links to.

julieHB

Thank you everybody - that's very useful info coming in.

Each browser has tools to view exactly which cookies are used on any website (you can use it to check your own  :))- I have google analytics on my site, which uses a tracker cookie, so I'll include something about that in my Privacy settings.

I also think they're not after us little'uns, but it never hurts to be aware of what is happening :-)
Julie xx

                           My Webbie - My Flickr

Ben

From what I recall cookies which are essential to the site operation (classified as 'Strictly Necessary') don't fall under this legislation so I'd agree with Scarlet: check out cookies are no problem.

The ICO guidelines suggest 'implied consent' is acceptable which is basically the route we've gone down at work; update Ts&Cs/privacy policy and inform users of the change.

I agree with Kalorlo that the legislation is ineffective in achieving what it set out to achieve  ::)

tomcat

Quote from: Ben on May 25, 2012, 01:43:23 PM
I agree with Kalorlo that the legislation is ineffective in achieving what it set out to achieve  ::)


nothing new there then on government legislation on IT  ;D ;D

one day they will listen to the experts they pay so much for and actually do what is recommended - but that does not get 'Fred Bloggs' vote so not holding my breath on that one
Mark - Blog - http://beadsbeerandphotos.blogspot.co.uk/
Life is not a game - its THE game, so play it like you mean it
A Long time ago in Egypt cats were worshipped as Gods, cats have not forgotten this !

Blue Box Studio

I've not a shop on my website so presume nothing there then and presume the shops we sell from, Etsy et al, will doing thier own thing to comply?  Or have I totally misunderstood?
Sue
Website ~ Etsy ~ Blog ~ Flickr

Kalorlo

Yeah, it's Etsy's responsibility and not yours in that case. Who are a US site, but the directive says they still have to comply when being used by people in the EU...  ::)

ScarletLeonard

That certainly is a rolling eyes scenario..

but of course we could code websites to work in these ways for people in different countries, if only there were some way of tracking them to know what country they were from...