The internet is full of cookies – and not the baked type everyone loves. Rather, HTML cookies and other third-party scripts that can be installed on your website to collect data about visitors. You need a cookie blocker.
Cookies are an effective way to track user behavior and help measure the success of your web pages. They play a large role in how websites work, from tracking basic user data to helping customize a visitor’s experience.
However, an increased global focus on privacy has led to a crackdown on cookies. Many countries and jurisdictions – notably the European Union, United Kingdom, and U.S. State of California – are imposing sweeping laws that regulate the use of these scripts with anyone in their boundaries.
For website operators, this poses an extremely difficult challenge. While they all target cookies, each of these laws has different rules. It’s almost impossible to keep up with them all, let alone ensure your website is technically-equipped to remain compliant.
Cookie blockers are the solution. These scripts detect, block and delete cookies before they are installed. This protects your website from potential legal trouble while also keeping visitors’ information private and secure.
What Is a Cookie Blocker?
Cookie blockers are pieces of software that prevent websites from setting cookies on a user’s device. Cookies, also known as browser cookies, are small text files that websites store on a user’s device in order to track their activity or serve content tailored to the user’s preferences. While cookies can be beneficial for website owners, enabling them to tailor content and measure engagement, they can also pose a threat as users and risk violation of prominent data privacy regulations like the GDPR and CPRA.
Cookie blockers can provide website owners with an additional layer of protection when it comes to data compliance. Cookie blockers work by analyzing the website’s code, which allows them to identify cookies that have been set. Once the cookie blocker identifies a cookie, it can either block or allow it, depending on the settings chosen by the user and website owner. This ensures that no potentially dangerous or unwanted cookies are set on a user’s device before prerequisites of cookie consent are met.
There are two main types of cookie blockers: opt-in blockers and opt-out blockers. Opt-in blockers require users to give explicit before any cookies are allowed to be set, while opt-out ones allow users to opt-out of certain types of cookies, but do not require them to give consent.
Generally speaking, opt-in blockers are the more popular option, since they provide users with greater control over the cookies that are set on their devices. An opt-in cookie blocker can be set up to require users to accept or reject all cookies, as well as specific types of cookies. They are required to provide an affirmative action, such as clicking a button or ticking a checkbox, in order to give their consent. This type of cookie blocker is the safest to go with, as it ensures that your website has a 0% chance of serving any unwanted cookies that could potentially be in violation of data privacy regulations. Opt-in consent is also an outright requirement under many prominent data privacy laws, such as the GDPR.
Cookie blockers usually appear as a pop-up or banner on a website. These banners inform the user of the types of cookies that the site uses, as well as provide an option to either accept or reject the cookies. They also often provide users with additional information about why certain types of cookies are used and how they are beneficial. The content of a cookie banner can differ from region to region, as not all data privacy laws have the same requirements.
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Why Having a Cookie Blocker Matters – CookieFirst
Ensure Your Website Is Compliant With Data Privacy Law
The first and most obvious benefit of investing in a cookie blocker is compliance. From the European Union’s General Data Privacy Regulation to the State of California’s CPRA, there are plenty of laws to unintentionally break out there. Cookie blocker tools act as a manager of sorts, allowing businesses to gain full insight into the scripts their websites use and control the conditions under which they’re served to users.
This avoids multiple problematic outcomes, including being fined for non-compliance or having unwelcome scripts run rampant on sites.
Protect Visitor Data With A Cookie Blocker
The second benefit of having a cookie blocker is that it can protect the data of visitors to your website. Without one, you could end up with an unruly number of cookies gathering data without your knowledge, or even worse, having malicious scripts run on the site. A cookie blocker can identify and remove these intrusive scripts before they can do any harm, allowing your visitors to browse your site with confidence.
Give Users More Control Over Their Browsers
Another great advantage of using a cookie blocker is that it gives users more control over their browsing experience. In the wake of massive scandals related to data privacy, many users are becoming increasingly aware of the need for more control. A cookie blocker allows them to take matters into their own hands, and delete or block certain types of cookies whenever they want.
Build User Trust With A Cookie Blocker
Most people will tell you that they practice strong compliance to avoid fines , but having this tool also gives your website a level of trustworthiness with customers. If they’re aware that you’ve taken the time and effort to install a cookie blocker on your website, they can rest assured that you’re doing everything you can to protect their data and respect their privacy.
Improved Website Performance
Today’s internet users are as impatient as ever. No one has the time to wait around for a page to load, and slow website performance can drive them away faster than you think. Cookie blockers help here too, as they help minimize the amount of data that’s loaded each time a user visits your website. This leads to faster response times and better browsing experiences.
Analytics
Just like how cookies can provide insight into user behavior, cookie blockers can provide website owners with more information. By analyzing which cookies are being blocked or accepted, site owners can gain a better understanding of what users want and how their websites should be optimized.
Peace of Mind
There is so much to worry about nowadays. With cookie blockers in place, website owners can relax knowing that their sites are up to date with the latest data privacy rules and regulations. The use of a cookie blocker also alleviates the worry of having to manually check and update code whenever new regulations come out.
Data Privacy Laws That Regulate the Use of Cookies
Data privacy laws can be a minefield for website owners, with some of the regulations being more strict than others. Here are some of the laws that website owners should be aware of and make sure their websites comply with:
General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR)
Established in May 2018, the General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR) is a regional law designed to protect citizens of European Union member countries. The GDPR outlines the rules and regulations pertaining to the collection, processing, storage, and sharing of personal data.
GDPR is especially stringent when it comes to cookies. Specifically, the law states that users must give their explicit consent before any website can install cookies that collect personal data. If a website fails to obtain explicit consent, it may be subject to fines or other sanctions. Penalties for non-compliance are subject to change, but as of 2022, are pegged at either €10 million or 2% of a business’ annual revenue from the preceding financial year – whichever amount is higher. More serious infringements can result in fines of up to €20 million or 4% of a company’s annual revenue from the preceding year.
If you would like to know more about cookies, read our article: What are cookies?
The GDPR is meant to protect EU citizens, but isn’t exclusive to businesses in the region. Anyone who collects personal data from EU citizens is subject to the GDPR, regardless of where their business is based.
California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)
Formerly known as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the California Privacy Rights Act was first put into effect in 2020. Like the GDPR, it sets out rules and regulations around collecting, processing, and sharing personal data. Only this time around, online entities that do business with California consumers are subject to the law, regardless of their location.
In order to fall under the jurisdiction of the CPRA, a business must meet at least one of three thresholds:
- Have annual revenues over $25 million
- Buy, sell, receive, or share for commercial purposes the personal data of more than 100,000 consumers per year
- Derive more than 50 percent of annual revenues from the sale or sharing of consumers’ personal data
A key provision of the CPRA is that it requires businesses to offer consumers the option to opt-out of the sale of their personal data. This means that website owners operating within California must provide a cookie blocker that allows visitors to turn cookies on or off, thereby giving them greater control over their own data. Failure to do so may result in fines of up to $7,500 per intentional violation or $2,500 per unintentional violation.
Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA)
The Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) is a Singaporean law that regulates the collection, use and disclosure of personal data by businesses. It sets out the obligations of organizations who collect, use and disclose personal data, as well as the rights of individuals in relation to the protection of their information.
The purpose of the PDPA is to protect individuals’ personal data while allowing organizations to collect and use such data responsibly. It applies to residents of Singapore, but is also used by Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines as a basis for their own data protection laws.
Thailand’s version of PDPA was put into effect on June 1st, 2022. Similarly to the GDPR, it requires explicit consent regarding the use of cookies, and applies to any business that deals with consumers from Thailand. Penalties for non-compliance include imprisonment for up to six months or a fine up to 500,000 Baht.
As can be seen, there are about a million data privacy rules to follow when running a website online. If yours is accessible on a global level, then it’s not a matter of if you’ll break a law, but when. Cookie blockers are the buffer between your business and regulatory fines and a panic-driven website shutdown. Installing one is the best way to stay ahead of data privacy laws and keep your customers’ information safe.
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What Makes a Good Cookie Blocker?
Cookie blockers are undoubtedly important tools in the modern online landscape. But they aren’t all made equal. To ensure that your website is compliant with data privacy laws and regulations, it’s important to choose the right cookie blocker for your needs.
Here are some important things to look for:
Ease of Use
A good cookie blocker should be easy to set up and use. It should come with a simple user interface that allows you to configure the settings quickly and without any technical knowledge. Furthermore, it should also be easy to update in accordance with changing data privacy laws or if you want to add or remove any cookies.
Total Coverage and Control
Cookie blockers are only as effective as they are comprehensive. You don’t want a tool that only blocks a few types of cookies or those from certain domains. You should look for a cookie blocker that can detect, block or allow any type of cookie from any website. This will ensure that your website is well-positioned to accommodate user preferences and adapt to potential changes in data privacy laws.
Privacy and Security
Finally, you should make sure that the cookie blocker you choose is secure and respects user privacy. Check to see if it encrypts data, or if it has any additional security measures to ensure that user information is kept safe. Also, ensure that it doesn’t track user data or use any cookies of its own.
CookieFirst Is the Cookie Blocker Solution That You’ve Been Searching For
In the current digital environment, cookie blockers are essential for maintaining a successful website and keeping up with ever-changing privacy regulations. They are the key to staying ahead of the curve while ensuring everyone’s data is handled in a safe, responsible way.
CookieFirst is the perfect solution to your website’s data privacy and security needs. Our cookie blocker tool helps you manage, monitor, and block unwanted scripts and cookies, while also ensuring compliance with applicable data privacy laws like the GDPR and CPRA. Our easy-to-use technology simplifies the process of cookie management, so you can rest easy knowing that your website is secure. Get started today and take the power of data privacy into your own hands!
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