As of 26th May 2012, the Government has updated the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations in accordance with the EU Privacy Directive.
Cookies are small files comprising of numbers and letters downloaded to your hard drive when you access certain websites. Cookies are returned to the website each time you visit, allowing the website to remember important information such as log in details. These are designed to help you quickly and easily navigate the internet.
Using cookies is not prohibited, however the new law does require that users are given the chance to opt out of having their information recorded in this way.
Therefore, websites that use cookies must:
- Tell users that the cookies are there
- Explain what the cookies are doing
- Obtain consent to store the cookies on the users' device.
There is an exception to the requirement to provide information about cookies and obtain consent where the use of the cookie is:
- For the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network; or
- Where such storage or access is strictly necessary for the provision of an information society service requested by the subscriber or user.
To find out more about the new Cookie Law, visit:
