ICO Executive Director Stephen Almond Calls for Views on “Consent or Pay” Business Models and Continues Crackdown on Non-Compliant Websites

Stephen Almond, Executive Director of Regulatory Risk at the ICO, is leading the charge in shaping the impacts of emerging technology and innovation on society. In a recent move to provide clarity to the online advertising industry, Almond has proposed a “consent or pay” mechanism for using advertising cookies in compliance with data protection laws.

The concept behind the “consent or pay” model is simple – users can choose to use a website for free, but only if they consent to their personal information being used for personalized advertising. Alternatively, they can opt to pay a fee and not be tracked. This model aims to give users more control over their data and privacy while still allowing websites to generate revenue through advertising.

To gather feedback and input on this regulatory approach, the ICO has launched a “call for views” inviting stakeholders from various sectors including publishers, advertisers, intermediaries, civil society, and academia to share their thoughts. This collaborative approach will help inform the ICO’s position on the “consent or pay” model.

In addition to reaching out to stakeholders, Almond has also communicated with the Association of Online Publishers and the Internet Advertising Bureau UK to discuss alternative advertising models and the importance of giving users a fair choice over how their personal information is used.

While the ICO is working towards promoting compliance with data protection laws, they are also cracking down on websites that do not offer users a fair choice when it comes to cookies. With an almost 80% success rate in effecting change from organizations contacted last year, the ICO is now preparing to reach out to the next 100 most frequented websites. Additionally, they are developing digital tools to evaluate website cookie compliance at scale.

Organizations that continue to ignore the law can expect enforcement action from the ICO. Almond emphasizes that this is the last chance for organizations to make changes before facing consequences. The next announcement from the ICO in this space will be regarding enforcement actions.