Understanding the New UK “Cookie Law” – Guest Post By Laura Clarke

On the 26^th May this year UK cookie laws were introduced, but this is nothing new, they were actually incorporated into UK law a year ago. This happened after EU privacy legislation ruled that sites should be more transparent in the way they use cookies but webmasters were given a one year grace period to ensure that their websites met with the new regulations.

So what does this new cookie law mean?

Put briefly and to the point the new cookie law requires websites to ask for user consent to store personal information on their computer, phone, tablet etc. thus making users more aware of how much data is collected about them.

But aren’t some cookies necessary?

Some cookies are exempt from this new law as they are vital for the smooth running of sites. These include shopping baskets on retail sites so that the site can remember all the items a shopper is requesting. These types of cookies are “first party” and are seen as the good guys of the cookie world.