Google told to make opting out of cookies much easier

GOOGLE and other tech companies need to make opting out of cookies as easy as opting in or face hefty fines, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has warned.

The watchdog has said users should be presented with a simple “yes or no” option when they first visit a website.

Under current data laws, companies have to seek people’s permission to use cookies, which can track their behaviour across the internet.

Elizabeth Denham, the Information Commissioner, yesterday warned that people were often unaware this meant their private information is shared with thousands of companies for advertising.

The ICO has said that it is not happy

with the current system where people are presented with endless pop-ups on websites that make it much easier to accept cookies than turn them off.

Yesterday, the watchdog published its expectation that companies “offer users the choice of receiving adverts without tracking, profiling or targeting based on personal data”.

Stephen Bonner, the ICO’S executive

director for regulation, said that too often users had to battle through “annoying” tick boxes of options to turn off cookies.

He said: “We see sites using nudge techniques; so saying yes is very easy, but saying no takes you through a whole series of distracting things.”

Mr Bonner added that companies would face enforcement action if the

current system didn’t change, adding that he felt the best solution was to give users a “yes or no” option for cookies.

In its response, Google said: “Since launching Privacy Sandbox (a program to develop new cookie tools), we have been developing these tools in the open, and sought feedback at every step to ensure that they work for everyone.”