The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) issued updated guidance on Friday, one day before the 26 May cookie compliance deadline. The guidance aims to help UK businesses still struggling to make sense of the UK cookie law. 

The ICO accepts that low consumer understanding of what cookies are, what cookies are used for and how consumers can manage the setting of cookies on their devices is hindering organisations’ efforts to achieve compliance.  

Therefore, the ICO has issued advice for members of the public on what cookies are, what the new rules mean along with a new complaints procedure. 

The ICO also recognises that there is a danger that some websites may have interruptions of service in their bid to achieve compliance. The ICO has therefore asked organisations that provide essential public services to UK citizens, such as websites for government, local authorities or the NHS not to rush into compliance without properly testing their cookie compliance solutions. 

The main message from the ICO is that organisations need to show that they are making an effort to achieve cookie compliance.  

For more advice on cookies, see the DMA’s 10 steps to managing cookie compliance.

Read the ICO’s updated guidance in full. 

Posted by

Smarayda Christoforou