UK Web Cookie Limit Arrives EU Directive

Following research conducted in the UK, popular websites have on average 14 tracking cookies. Furthermore, it has been suggested by privacy specialists that most web users when browsing as many as 140 stealthy tracking cookies. These tracking cookies are mostly operated by advertisers and in most cases not website designers or administrators.

Dave Desy, Truste's vice president of marketing, told the BBC:  "The high level of third-party tracking that is taking place is certainly an area of question and scrutiny,  it's not illegal to do the tracking - the question is whether you are giving consumers enough awareness that it is happening and what you are doing with the data."

However, on 26th May 2012 comes into effect the EU directive which protects privacy online in the UK. The directive imposes on webmaster's the responsibility to inform users when browsing that cookies are present and how they are operating or what data they are gathering. However, there a few exceptions, for example: when a cookie is essential to operate the website.

One way to implement the directive may be to ask users to click a box if they agree to accept cookies when they first navigate to a particular website which contains privacy cookie concerns, nevertheless this is a not a popular solution. The consequence for web designers or third parties that not implement the directive will face a fine up £500,000.