Since the EU legislation on privacy became effective, businesses and organisations are wondering if they should be frontrunners or wait and see what happens. I think businesses and organisations should listen to their customers. If 72% of all Europeans are concerned about their online privacy, why not respect this and treat forward to meet them.
Make privacy and data protection an USP. That way you can be a frontrunner. This does not end by implementing an opt-in for cookies. it is about the whole process of collecting data and treating this with respect.
Spring cleaning on cookies
Look at the cookies you are using now. Do you really need them? Are you still storing cookies of that campaign that ended 4 years ago? What are you tracking and what are tracking it for? Are you using first party cookies to track anonymous visitor behaviour or are you tracking visitors along multiple websites using third party cookies? Ask yourself which is useful for your business or organisation to be successful.
Inform your visitors and make sure they are treated with respect. It depends on the European country you are targeting to decide whether you’ll need an opt-in as in the UK or the Netherlands. Some countries accept the possibility of refusing cookies through a browser setting, others demand an explicit opt-in. Sometimes it also depends on the kind of cookies (first party or third party) and what you are using them for. At the end it is all about respecting your customers.
Personal data
If you are using personal data, profiling etc. you need consent of your visitor in all of the EU countries. But then you also have to look at your data protection protocols within your company.
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Posted by My Homepage | June 10, 2012, 1:58 pm