What is a Cookie Banner?

A cookie banner is important for websites to comply with regulations on the use of cookies and protect user privacy. By providing clear and transparent information about the use of cookies, cookie banners help users make informed decisions about their data and how it is used.

What are cookies?

First of all, it is important to clarify what exactly cookies are. Cookies are text files that the website provider stores on the user's computer or other terminal device. When the website is visited again, these text files are read again in order to facilitate web navigation and to analyze information about the behavior of website users.

Basically, there are different types of cookies. The main difference is that there are technically necessary and not technically necessary text files. These two options are treated differently in legislation. Cookies that are necessary for the functioning of the website are considered technically necessary. Cookies are not technically necessary if they only serve to protect economic interests.

Cookie text is displayed in the form of a banner or pop-up window. They are designed to help website operators comply with regulations and protect the privacy of their users.

Cookie banners are thus tools that appear on a website or app to inform users about the use of cookies. Consent is obtained to process the user's data. The user can decide whether to accept or block the cookies, or what types of cookies to allow. For example, user:inside can accept only essential cookies and reject all other types.

Cookie banners are required by several European laws, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive. These laws require websites to obtain user consent before storing cookies. The cookie banner is one way to obtain this consent, as it allows users to choose whether or not to consent to the use of cookies.

For a cookie to comply with the GDPR, users almost always have to give their consent. A cookie banner must be used not only when cookies are used for advertising purposes, but also when certain features are implemented.

Anyone running a website with EU (or non-EU) visitors should have an appropriate banner. A cookie banner must be clearly visible and easy to understand. The Cookie Banner Text should provide an initial overview of the purpose of using cookies. It should explain what cookies are and indicate what types of cookies are stored on the user's device.

In addition, the cookie banner must refer to the Privacy Policy and this must be accessible with one click. On the way to the privacy policy, cookies that are not technically necessary must not be set yet. The banner should offer users the simple option of accepting or rejecting the use of cookies by means of a button.