Google AdSense and Cookies (Cookie Law) email

EU Cookies

[Badger37]

Hi all,
I've just received an email from Google regarding AdSense and Cookies.
Cookie Law came in a couple of years ago and seems mostly to be a waste or time and just another irritation to website visitors. I was hoping that it would quietly go away!

The email from Google reads as if you now have to implement a 'consent mechanism' if you have already - are other people receiving these emails and what are peoples views (especially if they are in the UK like me).

I've put the Google email text below.
Thanks.



Google Ads Policy Team
Dear Publisher,

We want to let you know about a new policy about obtaining EU end-users’ consent that reflects regulatory and best practice guidance. It clarifies your duty to obtain end-user consent when you use products like Google AdSense, DoubleClick for Publishers and DoubleClick Ad Exchange.

Please review our new EU user consent policy as soon as possible. This requires that you obtain EU end users’ consent to the storing and accessing of cookies and other information, and to the data collection, sharing and usage that takes place when you use Google products. It does not affect any provisions on data ownership in your contract.

Please ensure that you comply with this policy as soon as possible, and not later than 30 September 2015.

If your site or app does not have a compliant consent mechanism, you should implement one now. To make this process easier for you, we have compiled some helpful resources at cookiechoices.org.

This policy change is being made in response to best practice and regulatory requirements issued by the European data protection authorities. These requirements are reflected in changes that have been recently made on Google’s own websites.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.
Regards,
The Google Policy Team

[RedBar]

I have to think it's deliberate, but I have no idea as to why.

Of course it's deliberate and I am also 99.999% sure as to why as well.

[ember]

I am also 99.999% sure as to why as well.

Why?

[netmeg]

Do you have a stat that shows how many people click the dismiss link?

No, I thought about coding or tagging something that would keep track of that, but never got around to it. I got so much data coming at me from different directions I'd probably never get around to looking at it anyway. But it wouldn't be terribly difficult to just stick a ?notice=dismiss or something and view it in Analytics.

[robzilla]

If you're using Analytics, I'd recommend setting up Event Tracking instead. I hate it when I close a cookie bar and I'm lead away from the page (even if it's towards the same page). I'm curious about the stats, so I might set this up myself.

[RedBar]

Why?

To discombobulate Brussels ... do I need to explain why?

[Whatagreatdayitis]

I'm using shareaholic for the cookie notification and limiting the pop up to Europe. Piece of cake. But does the notification have to appear on every page?

[ember]

But does the notification have to appear on every page?

Yes.

They are doing it this way to be as minimalist as possible because they are being forced by the EU to do it. So they directly notified the ones most obviously affected - EU based sites - and put a note on the blog so they can say that they are doing what the EU wants. They know that if they push the issue with the rest of us - particularly those in the U.S. - that it would be a financial hit if we all start scaring off visitors with a privacy notice. So when asked directly, they say nothing either way. They don't want to absolutely tell us we have to do it, and they don't want to say we don't have to do it.

I doubt anything will come of this. At least now right now.

Of course, I could be wrong.

[MrSavage]

If anyone is needing a solution, check page 7 of this monster thread. Therein lies a solution. Nifty. Took my thick skull a few tried to do this, but if I can do it, anyone can. I put this into an old school designed site, 20 or so pages. Took about 10 minutes of my time. Cheers to that guy, netmeg's "guy" as it were. If it's good enough for netmeg, then it's good enough for me! Sharaholic was a joke imo with having to jump through so many hoops and putting their code all over my site. Screw that.

[vivalasvegas]

If anyone is needing a solution, check page 7 of this monster thread. Therein lies a solution. Nifty. Took my thick skull a few tried to do this, but if I can do it, anyone can. I put this into an old school designed site, 20 or so pages. Took about 10 minutes of my time. Cheers to that guy, netmeg's "guy" as it were. If it's good enough for netmeg, then it's good enough for me! Sharaholic was a joke imo with having to jump through so many hoops and putting their code all over my site. Screw that.

Yes, thanks to Envintus and Netmeg I was able to implement this in minutes too. Not sure I'll keep it, will see what happens and how or if this will somehow be enforced

[dolcevita]

I was looking around for something what is simple for implementation and in the same time have enough options for cookiebar changing things.

And finally i found it primebox.co.uk and under their projects is jquery-cookiebar. Easy to install (only 2 files) with a lot options to modify it the way how it looks and how it works. Before i've decided to use jquery-cookiebar from primebox i got a lot trouble with Silktide cookiebar. It does not works very well on Mobile devices because of render issue.

I have also place Sharaholic on one of my domains and it is just one line javascript code. I can recommend it if you would like simple copy/paste options without think a lot about it but it is limited in the way of changing look and how it works. From other side you got easy way to install and 'only to EU visitors' options what is more than appreciate.

[screamingmidget]

I'm currently using the Shareaholic method and to EU visitors only.

But the best way to do this is... TEST. Test one method and see what the effect is. Then try a different method for a week and compare the 2. From what I've seen with the Shareaholic method, there's no obvious effect to having it on.

I've also made the cookies never expire - if the user doesn't clear their cookies they don't see it again. After all, once we've notified them, they don't need notifying again.

[Ironside]

@Screening midget

This is what I've done, I've install the plug-in on my Joomla! website and it should only show once two visitors, once they've accepted they shouldn't see it again. I saw it once and I've not seen this again. I don't think Google should expect us to do any more.

[RedBar]

So ... anyone been banned yet?

[IanCP]

So ... anyone been banned yet?

Good question.

This "Little Aussie Battler" - an "in" local joke of my elderly generation - awaits notice of compliance from Mr. Google.

Because I have read it here or elsewhere, isn't good enough. I haven't seen a flicker from Google, excepting I should allow and promote "Drugs, Politics, and Religion" on my sites.

I await at Mr. Google's pleasure on the topic of European Cookies.

[charvel]

I have a slide-in bar method on two of my sites and a very small static notice at the very top on another. Nothing yet...

Also, rather strangely, earnings are way up.

[Multiverse]

As the day is here I went over my list of the top 11 sites in my industry again. I analyzed them two weeks ago (page 10 of this thread) and found that:

10 use Adsense
10 have no mention of cookies anywhere
1 has a little "cookies" link on the bottom of the screen if you come from a EU IP. It auto-disappears after a few seconds.

I rechecked them today and here are the results:

10 use Adsense
10 have no mention of cookies anywhere
1 has a little "cookies" link on the bottom of the screen if you come from a EU IP.

As you can see, nothing changed except that the one with the cookies link removed the "make the link disappear after a few seconds" script.

Still nobody gets a "consent" from anybody.

I set a reminder for myself to do the analysis again in a month.

[charvel]

I have definitely noticed an increase in sites using a notice to the point where I thought, maybe there had been a change to the EU cookie ruling and, not just this crazy thing from Adsense.

[MrSavage]

Is there any suggested methods of adding envintus method into Wordpress? Not sure why I cannot get this to work.

[EmptyRoom]

Any new input from G about this?

[tangor]

Is there any suggested methods of adding envintus method into Wordpress? Not sure why I cannot get this to work.

Not sure what this has to do with cookies and the EU. Please explain.