Do I need a cookie policy for my website?

Do I need a cookie policy for my website?

What is a cookie?

Before understanding the technicalities of the cookie policy, it must be understood what precisely a cookie is. Here we are not talking about the tasty, mouthwatering biscuit that is consumed all around the world. Instead, the topic under discussion revolves around the cookie that is a part of the internet. The HTTP cookie is a very important yet tiny piece of data stored in the user’s data by the user’s browser while surfing any websites. Cookies contain information and data that allows the websites to remember important and crucial information so that the browser’s activity is recorded and stored. In simple terms, a cookie is a sort of data mapping tools that allows websites to record information for further use.

What is a cookie policy?

Basically, a cookie policy is a rule or a sort of declaration that informs the users about the type of cookies that are active on a specific website. The policy also indicates the data that is being tracked by the user as well as the purpose of this data and the exact source of the data. In simple terms, the policy allows users to know all the required information about a specific website’s cookies. The cookie policy also allows users to get access to information that tells and guides them on how the users might opt out of the cookies or the ways in which the users can change settings directly involving the cookies of the website. Many users of the websites and the owners, deliberately allow themselves to incorporate the cookie policy inside their privacy policy. However, this is something that can be done separately, as well. This means that the website owner can leave the cookie policy section and post it as a separate and unique section alone.

Can a cookie policy be ignored?

It must be noted, especially, that the website owners cannot ignore the cookie policy. They are required by the legal authorities, namely the European GDPR as well as the Californian GDPR, to actually post the cookie policy on their website for the users and viewers to see and read. This is important so that the users have an idea of what cookies are active on their website and what data is being mapped and tracked by the website in the first place. Everything related to this is part and parcel of the privacy policy, which is a very important and crucial part of the website and something that cannot be overlooked, especially by the people who own and run the site. The owners of a website must be especially careful with the cookie policy since cookies are indeed a potential risk to the user’s privacy. This is primarily because cookies can easily track, store, and share user data as well as behaviors. This indicates how new technology can also sometimes have its fair share of cons and therefore, pose privacy threats to its users.