Dos and Don’ts of a GDPR-Compliant Cookie Consent Banner

With GDPR and similar privacy regulations mandating cookie consent banners, ensuring compliance can be tricky. Here are some essential dos and don’ts to consider:

Dos 👍

  • Provide clear options for users to accept or reject cookies, ensuring their consent is explicit and informed.
  • Allow users to provide granular consent to cookies based on their purposes, such as advertising, analytics, etc.
  • Allow users to access website content without accepting non-essential cookies.
  • Add links to the cookie policy and make it accessible on a cookie consent banner.
  • Use simple and jargon-free language to ensure users understand their choices.
  • Use a simple UX design for the cookie banner to ensure that users can share their consent preferences without confusion.

Don’ts ❌

  • Do not use large “Accept” buttons to trick users into providing consent.
  • Do not use pre-ticked boxes for non-essential cookies, as they do not constitute explicit consent as required by GDPR.
  • Do not hide the Reject button to force users to give consent
  • Do not use cookie walls that block access to content until cookies are accepted.
  • Avoid using unclear terms like ‘OK’ or ‘Proceed’ that might mislead users.
  • Don’t use confusing icons, like an ‘X,’ to close the cookie banner, as it doesn’t specify what happens when clicked. Most close buttons actually accept cookies, which is against informed consent.

👉 Also Read: Best UI/UX Practices for Cookie Consent Banners