ICO to Crack Down on Non-Compliant Cookie Consent Notifications in UK Websites

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the UK is cracking down on some of the country’s most visited websites for not being compliant with data protection laws regarding cookie consent notifications. The ICO has given publishers 30 days to make changes or face enforcement action.

Since the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, stricter rules have been in place for obtaining consent to collect and process personal data, including the use of cookies on websites. Users must opt-in to have their data collected and processed, with informed consent on how it will be used. Additionally, users must have the option to easily reject all advertising cookies.

Despite these rules being in place for over five years, some major publishers are still not compliant. The ICO has sent warnings to companies running popular websites, giving them a deadline to comply with the law.

Stephen Almond, the ICO’s executive director of regulatory risk, highlighted concerns about companies using personal information to target individuals with ads without their consent. The ICO is urging non-compliant companies to make changes now or face consequences.

The ICO will provide an update in January, which will include details of any companies that have not taken action. This crackdown comes after a period of leniency from the ICO, which aimed to work with the industry to ensure compliance with data protection laws.

With the threat of enforcement action looming, it is expected that non-compliant publishers will finally make the necessary changes to comply with the law. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.