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Staying abreast of changes in cookie policy is extremely important for anyone who runs websites and online stores. In 2024, Google has prepared two very important changes – Consent Mode and Privacy Sandbox. In this article, you will learn the most important information about them and why complying with the new regulations is so important.
What is the cookie policy?
A cookie policy is a set of policies and procedures that define how websites collect, store and use cookies. Cookies are small text files stored on a user’s computer when browsing the web. Their main purpose is to collect information about a user’s activity on the site, which enables personalization of content and improvement of the site’s performance.
Changes to Cookie Policy: Consent Mode and Privacy Sandbox
In response to growing concerns in the online community about data privacy and increasingly stringent regulations (e.g., RODO), companies such as Google have made changes to the way cookie policies work. Two key initiatives in this regard are Consent Mode and Privacy Sandbox.
Consent Mode
Consent Mode is a feature offered by Google as part of its Google Analytics tool. It is a tool that allows website owners to more effectively manage user data according to their privacy preferences and cookie usage.
The main purpose of Consent Mode is to allow site owners to customize how Google Analytics collects analytics data depending on the user’s consent to the use of cookies. This means that if the user consents to the use of cookies, data will be collected in full, according to the settings of the Google Analytics tool. On the other hand, if the user does not consent to the use of cookies, analytical data will be collected in a limited mode, which means minimal collection of information about the user.
Using Consent Mode allows website owners to tailor the collection of analytics data to users’ privacy preferences, allowing them to better understand users’ behavior without violating their privacy. This is particularly important in the context of new data protection laws, such as RODO, which require website owners to ensure that analytics collection is done in accordance with user preferences and laws.
Privacy Sandbox
Privacy Sandbox is Google’s initiative to enhance the privacy of Internet users by making changes to the way online advertising technologies work. It is a response to growing concerns in the online community about the privacy of personal data and users’ growing awareness of how their data is used by advertisers.
The main goal of Privacy Sandbox is to balance user privacy with the needs of online advertisers and publishers. As part of this initiative, Google is proposing a new approach to online advertising that is designed to be more privacy compliant. Ultimately, this is to be used to gradually eliminate cookies.
One of the key elements of Privacy Sandbox is a proposal to replace traditional cookies with a technology called Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC). FLoC is based on grouping users with similar interests into so-called cohorts, rather than tracking individual user data through cookies. As a result, advertisers will have access to general information about users’ interests, but will not be able to identify specific individuals. Another element of Privacy Sandbox is the proposed anonymous data aggregation mechanism, which will allow advertisers to analyze user trends and behavior without having to access their individual personal data.
Why is it so important to comply with the new regulations?
Compliance with the new cookie policy regulations is crucial for both users and website owners. For users, it means more control over their personal information and greater security and privacy when browsing the Internet. For website owners, on the other hand, it entails complying with the new regulations and preserving users’ trust through transparent and lawful collection and use of personal data. It’s also important to remember that failure to comply with national and EU cookie policies can result in serious legal consequences.
At Devispace, we strive to stay abreast of the latest trends and regulations in the world of cookie policy. We have extensive experience in making sure that sites are Google compliant. Contact us and we will be happy to help you bring your cookie policy in line with the latest changes.