EEC Cookie Directive - is there an updated sticky thread ?

[aotagain]

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Unless I've missed something, would be useful for IAB forum or network(s) to put up a sticky for the latest on the EEC Cookie Directive... as its going to land (or splat) on us quite soon in one form or another.

[jezza101]

Agreed, and ideally it would be good for someone to whack together a quick overview of what, if anything, one might need to do in different circumstances.

Eg If you run a forum? If you use Adsense? If you use Amazon Associates? If you use SkimLinks? etc?

[wesmozart]

Agreed, and ideally it would be good for someone to whack together a quick overview of what, if anything, one might need to do in different circumstances.

Some sort of overview would be very useful jezza101 - I've been reading around about the looming May deadline regarding cookies legislation and the more I read, the more confused I'm becoming.

Initially I thought my sites would be setting cookies on the basis they feature affiliates links via Easy Content Units and some Amazon product links. But I'm not sure if this is correct - maybe someone more experienced than me could throw some light on the matter for me. I just downloaded and installed the Firefox 'View Cookies' plug in and launched a few of my sites in my brower to see if they are setting cookies. When I click the page favicon to the left of the url bar there's the option to click for 'more info' and a 'View Cookies' button in the 'Security' window that opens.

In every case my sites show no cookies dropped until I click a few Amazon or ECU merchant links on my sites and then go back and check again - then some cookies are recorded but they relate to the merchants' sites and don't seem to relate to the network affiliates links created via ECU - and, to further confuse me, these merchant cookies only show up when I click the 'View Cookies' button in the Firefox plug in 'Security' window referred to previously, not the plugin's main 'Cookies' window, which still shows my site pages as being cookie-free.

Does this mean my sites are not dropping cookies and cookies are only set by other sites after a visitor clicks on an Amazon link or other merchant link in an ECU and goes off my site? Or are my sites still effectively dropping third party cookies or something, meaning I will still be embroiled in the dreaded EU legislation? I'm baffled!

[aotagain]

Thought I'd just add something. Presumably our sites are not alone in receiving a wide mixture of (random ?) visits from all corners of the world, despite being .co.uk sites.

This has changed significantly over the last year, I'm assuming Google has now decided on our behalf that UK sites all want to be global businesses. Either that or judging by the number of $ sites, they're invading our selling space. Something for another thread, that one !

Unfortunately that probably opens up a lot of sites to EU visitors, whether we want them or not, so the cookie directive might cause a problem, even if the UK follows a different path to EU websites ?

[allthediscounts]

Unfortunately that probably opens up a lot of sites to EU visitors, whether we want them or not, so the cookie directive might cause a problem, even if the UK follows a different path to EU websites ?

If the UK does follow a different thread (we seem to be getting better at doing that), I don't see how we can be made to adhere to policies outside of our duristication when it's clearly google that is sending the traffic.

[Hero]

here's some more information on the matter coming from the ICO: ICO blog: half term report on cookies compliance

I'd also suggest you get in touch with the AMC or check the website IAB AMC for upcoming updates

thanks

[gerry180]

Also from the ICO their latest 27 page guidance on cookies regulation (13 Dec 2011)
http://www.ico.gov.uk/news/blog/2011...gulations.ashx

Interestingly right at the end there is a question about analytics cookies which require consent. The answer ends with this.

“In practice we would expect you to provide clear information to users about analytical cookies and take what steps you can to seek their agreement. This is likely to involve making the argument to show users why these cookies are useful. Although the Information Commissioner cannot completely exclude the possibility of formal action in any area, it is highly unlikely that priority for any formal action would be given to focusing on uses of cookies where there is a low level of intrusiveness and risk of harm to individuals. Provided clear information is given about their activities we are highly unlikely to prioritise first party cookies used only for analytical purposes in any consideration of regulatory action.”

Therefore can tracking that uses cookies to attribute sales to an affiliate (as against tailoring personalised adverts) be regarded in a similar manner, i.e. non-intrusive and low risk to individuals?

[aotagain]

Hero - thanks for the links.

Therefore can tracking that uses cookies to attribute sales to an affiliate (as against tailoring personalised adverts) be regarded in a similar manner, i.e. non-intrusive and low risk to individuals?

I think that's the key question. We can deal to some extent with our own tracking cookies for our own purposes.
What is not yet clear is what we should be saying about network tracking cookies and retailer cookies, arising from our site links.
(If anything).

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Irritated footnote - having a bad day - set off mild paranoia ;-)
Hmm, just been reading some of the ICO stuff and wondering why my parents didn't encourage me into a pen-pushing jobs years ago.

How long is a piece of string ? Well that depends on how you measure it. ffs

Wherever you turn to invent something, start something up, test something, go out on a limb etc. there's always a pen-pusher working against you somewhere and someone in your market in the 'grey' area of the business, getting away with blue murder.