ICO’s Stephen Almond Urges Compliance with Cookie Laws: Positive Response from Top Websites

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is cracking down on websites that are not compliant with data protection laws regarding advertising cookies. Stephen Almond, Executive Director of Regulatory Risk at the ICO, is leading the charge to ensure that websites give users a fair choice over whether they consent to the use of such technologies.

In a recent letter sent to 53 of the UK’s top 100 websites, the ICO warned of enforcement action if changes were not made to comply with data protection laws. The response has been positive, with 38 organizations already making changes to their cookie banners and four committing to reach compliance within the next month.

Several other organizations are exploring alternative solutions such as contextual advertising and subscription models. The ICO plans to provide further guidance on how these models can be implemented in compliance with the law.

The ICO is not stopping with the top 100 websites and is preparing to reach out to more organizations in the future. To expedite their efforts, they are developing an AI solution to identify websites with non-compliant cookie banners and will be hosting a ‘hackathon’ event in 2024 to explore this further.

Organizations are advised to take action now to become compliant, as the ICO will continue to work through the list of websites offering services to UK users. The ripple effect of their intervention is already being seen, with many organizations making changes without receiving a warning letter.

It is clear that compliance is key, as the regulator will not hesitate to take action against those who continue to ignore the law. Stay tuned for further updates on this ongoing issue.