People will no longer be bombarded by constant requests to accept or reject “cookies” when browsing the internet, under proposed changes to the European Union’s strict data privacy laws.
The pop-up prompts asking internet users to consent to cookies when they visit a website are widely seen as a nuisance, undermining the original privacy intentions of the digital rules.
Brussels officials have now tabled changes that would allow people to accept or reject cookies for a six-month period, and potentially set their internet browser to automatically opt-in or out, to avoid being repeatedly asked whether they consent to websites remembering information about their past visits.
Cookies allow websites to keep track of a user’s previous activity, allowing sites to pull up items added to an online shopping cart that were not purchased, or remember whether someone had logged in to an account on the site before, as well as target advertisements.
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The European Commission, the union’s powerful lawmaking arm, wants to overhaul the cookies consent system, as part of wider changes clipping back some of the EU’s landmark digital regulations.
The proposal includes changes to Europe’s strict data protection laws introduced in 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and delays elements of more recent regulations governing the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
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The reforms are part of commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s plan to “simplify” the EU’s rule book and cut down on the administrative burden laws from Brussels put on businesses and industry.
The latest package of reforms, announced on Wednesday, include suggestions that would do away with the repeated cookie consent banners pushed on people when browsing online.
Updated regulations would allow people to consent or reject internet cookies for a six-month period, before they are asked again.
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The revision is an attempt by the EU institution to tackle “cookie fatigue”, something that has led the pop-ups to be seen as a nuisance, rather than a way for people to manage what websites can track their data.
An EU official, who was involved in revising the existing regulations, said the commission’s preference would be to switch to a “one click” system. “If you have declined cookies, it will stand for six months”, the official said.
Planned changes would expand the definition of “harmless” information that websites would be allowed to track, without having to ask for consent, according to the official. There will also be a special exemption to cookie requirements for the websites of media outlets.
Longer term plans would hopefully allow people to set their browser settings to accept or reject website cookies, although officials said this might be technically tricky and further work would likely be needed to flesh out the idea.
The EU regulations requiring websites to get consent to track information about people’s past browsing behaviour date back to 2009.
The proposal from the commission is the start of the EU policymaking process. The changes will need to be backed by the European Parliament and a majority of the bloc’s 27 governments before they come into force.
European commissioner for justice Michael McGrath said the broader changes to the union’s data laws was not a “reopening” of the GDPR. Targeted amendments were being made to simplify obligations put on companies, he said.
Mr McGrath, whose brief oversees the landmark data protection laws, said one revision was to give more leeway to small organisations, for example a local sport club managing its membership data.
