CookieFirst is a consent manager expertly designed to help website administrators protect and manage their visitors’ privacy. Read on for more details about the product and what it addresses.
Try our consent manager and create your custom cookie banner to manage your cookies and third-party scripts on your website compliant with the GDPR and other privacy laws. Create your free trial account here.
What Is A Consent Manager?
Today’s online landscape is largely defined by the acquisition and use of users’ data. This is both an important and problematic thing, as while data can give the power to augment and personalize the online experience, it can also be misused and compromised by those who process it.
In an aim to regulate how this information is handled by organizations and governments, many regions have instituted privacy laws over the past decades. Two of the most prominent are the European Union’s GDPR and United States’ CCPA. Compliance to these laws is mandatory per the specific region’s legal guidelines, but can be difficult for website and application owners to maintain.
This is where a consent manager or consent management platform comes into play. A CMP is a tool that allows site admins to effectively manage and protect the privacy of their users, as well as ensure compliance with data protection regulations.
The CookieFirst consent management platform offers a comprehensive cookie policy generator, customizable cookie banner or cookie notice and third-party script management.
Understanding The GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation, otherwise known as GDPR or EU GDPR, is a privacy law commissioned by the European Union. This regulatory statute is one of the toughest of its kind in the world, and since its institution in May 2018, has drastically changed our digital landscape as a whole.
The GDPR is what’s called an extraterritorial law. This means that although it’s been primarily created by and for a specific region, it can still apply to entities outside of its borders.
This particular regulation puts strict limitations on how EU citizens’ personal data can be collected, used, and processed by organizations, both within the EU and around the world. It mandates that in order for a company to legally obtain, store, or use an individual’s data, they first need that person’s explicit consent. In this case cookie consent.
The primary way data processing is done and regulated is online, and as such, consent is often needed by websites before they’re able to deploy cookies (tracking cookies) or utilize other third-party tracking technologies.
If a company is found in violation of GDPR, they can be fined up to 4% of their global annual revenue or €20 million – whichever is greater. As you can see, it’s in every organization’s best interest to ensure they’re not only compliant, but that they’re also taking the necessary steps to protect their user’s privacy.
Consent managers like CookieFirst have been specifically built for the purpose of managing data on this scale, and can help your organization remain compliant with this and other current data protection laws, wherever you’re located.
What Is The CCPA?
The CCPA, or California Consumer Privacy Act, is a prominent data protection law that’s recently come out of the US state of California. As of January 2020, it’s regulated both the acquisition and processing of California residents’ personal data, as well as how it’s sold.
As per the guidelines of the CCPA, California residents have the right to know what parts of their personal data is being collected, to stop the collection of their data and to have their collected data deleted if requested. They are also able to opt out of the sale of their personal information to third parties.
What this means for entities who use individuals’ personal data is that in order to be compliant with the CCPA, they must inform users of the information they collect, preferably before any data is even collected.
Furthermore, these entities must provide a way for users to access the personal information that’s been collected about them, as well as a way to have that information deleted if they so choose. Lastly, they must also have a system in place to ensure that any user who requests to opt out of the sale of their personal information to a third party may do so.
With a consent manager like CookieFirst, it’s easy to maintain compliance with the CCPA and other related laws. In the consent preferences panel and cookie declaration, it allows you to add a Do Not Sell My Personal Data link that will direct users to an opt-out form. This way, you can be confident that your organization is not only in compliance with the law, but also giving users the control they deserve over their personal information.
Cookie Consent Manager | Take a 2 week free trial
Take a 2 week free trial for our paid plans or create a free account …
Create an accountView our plans
Why Use A Consent Manager?
Whether they’re completely aware or not, most organizations’ websites use some form of technology that subjects them to regulations such as the GDPR or CCPA. Third-party scripts such as social media buttons and embedded videos, for example, come with tracking cookies that collect user information. Website administrators and owners are required to disclose the use of these third-party technologies to page visitors, as well as obtain their consent to use them.
Considering how the specific requirements of these laws are unique and vary based on where they’re implemented, it’s easy to see how doing so can be difficult.
What’s more, the fact that regulations are extremely fluid and keep changing further complicate the issue, making it seemingly impossible for organizations to get the assurance of compliance that they need.
Consent managers are designed for the main purpose of simplifying this problem, and hone the capacity to streamline the process of obtaining user consent into an all-in-one solution.
What You Can Expect
CookieFirst is a Consent Manager that provides website owners with an intuitive way to manage user consent and track cookies.
It’s able to scan all of a website’s cookies and tracking technology, map it, then assess what it discovers based on their individual functionality and purpose. This process provides website owners with a complete and up-to-date overview of all the cookies and trackers being used on their site, as well as what specific consent is required for each.
From there, CookieFirst consent manager organizes these assets into a cohesive interface that allows your website’s visitors to fully understand and control which categories of cookies they consent to. Having this tool as part of your organization’s online arsenal not only makes the process of managing privacy much simpler, but also makes it easy to remain compliant with laws such as the EU GDPR and US’ CCPA.
If you would like to know more about cookies, read our article: What are cookies ?
Our consent manager creates a privacy framework around your domains through the following features.
Consent Banner And Preferences Panel
The CookieFirst CMP features a consent banner that appears on your website when visited by a user for the first time. The specific buttons and functionality of this banner are completely customizable, and can be easily managed from our backend system. Users are able to adjust their privacy settings through the preference panel, which provides the option to control which specific types of tracking technology are used while they’re on the site.
Because the consent banner and preferences panel are flexible and customizable, they can be easily adjusted to reflect the specific requirements of each law, as well as the identity of your website. And with our paid plans, we offer a downloadable banner for use with our API. This allows you to create your own cookie banner from scratch to entirely fit your needs.
Automated Cookie Management
The CookieFirst consent manager employs the latest technology in consent management to seamlessly control all third party cookies and tracking technologies on your site. Through a comprehensive, automated system, it empowers you to make your domain privacy protective rather than requiring visitors to protect their own privacy when visiting it.
CookieFirst integrates with Google Consent Mode, a privacy friendly way for using Google Analytics.
Are your an agency, webdesigner or another reseller?
Earn 30% commission, take a look at our reseller model or contact us for numbers larger than 500 clients
Calculate your revenue
Are There Any Consequences To Using A Consent Manager?
There are no negative consequences to using a consent manager on your website. In fact, quite the opposite is true!
Not only will it make it much easier for you to obtain user consent and remain compliant with regulations, but it will also instill trust in your website’s visitors. This is because they’ll be able to see that you’re taking their privacy seriously, and that you’re committed to protecting their personal data.
CMPs have quickly become an essential tool for website owners, and there’s no better time to implement one than now.
Is The Prioritization Of User Privacy A Trend?
The new privacy laws that are currently being written and those that are already in effect prove that privacy isn’t simply a passing fancy. GDPR, CCPA, and LGPD are just a few examples of what’s to come.
It’s evident that data privacy is here to stay, and website owners need to be prepared. The implementation of a consent manager is one of the best ways to do this, as it will help you obtain user consent and track cookies in an efficient and compliant manner.
Cover Privacy And Analytics In Tandem With The CookieFirst Consent Manager
CookieFirst’s CMP is intended to keep your website functional and productive. Required scripts are always run, banner customisation allows for high opt-in rates for all categories, and we are continuously enhancing and extending our systems to offer an even better experience.
CookieFirst CMP also offers an extensive range of integrations, so you can use the data collected by our consent manager to improve your website’s performance. We integrate with all major analytics providers, as well as a variety of other tools that will help you make the most out of your website’s data.
Review Your Current Cookie Banner
If you already have a cookie banner, it is essential to review whether it complies with privacy regulations. Start by reviewing this quick checklist – if any of these items apply it is time for a redesign:
- You cannot systematically record user consent
- Your cookie or privacy policy is not linked
- Users are nudged to hit the accept button
- It is unclear what the purpose of the cookie usage is
- Third-party scripts are not blocked
- Users can’t access the site until they give consent
- There is no option to customize settings
