UK firms are leaving it perilously late to ensure their websites comply with the new EU cookies law – enforceable on May 26 following 12 months’ grace – with 95% admitting they have done nothing about it yet.
The admission, according to a survey by KPMG, follows widespread concern that the measures will make it much harder for websites to secure commercially valuable information about their users.
It is also fuelled by confusion about the exact wording and permissions required, despite guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office. One observer even claims that the wording on the ICO’s website does not meet the new legislation.
The majority of businesses and organisations in the UK use cookies for a wide variety of reasons – from analysing consumer browsing habits to remembering a user’s payment details when buying products online.
Back in December, Information Commissioner Christopher Graham warned businesses to get a move on after revealing that compliance was ‘patchy’. The KPMG survey, however, paints a picture of mass non-compliance.
And, according to a recent report by econsultancy, 82% of digital marketers think the cookie law is ‘bad’ for the web.
Companies risk fines of up to £500,000 if they fail to fall into line with the rules although the ICO has conceded that “there will not be a wave of knee-jerk formal enforcement actions taken against those who are not yet compliant but are trying to get there”.
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