Yes, if your website uses cookies. GDPR and most other privacy laws require that you disclose to visitors what information you collect from them, such as their personal data and what you do with this information. If you use cookies to collect data from your site users, then you must have a cookie policy.
All about cookies
Wondering if it is obligatory to mention cookies on your website? Cookies are also known as small files. They are placed on the hard drive of your laptop when you visit a site. The cookie records information. With this information, various users can be distinguished from each other. However, cookies can also have other very specific purposes. In this article, we will tell you what types of cookies there are and whether it is compulsory to include them on your website. Read on for everything about cookies and find out when they are mandatory and when they are not.
The different types of cookies
There are various types of cookies, each with a different function. There are functional cookies, tracking cookies and analytical cookies. You can read more about the differences between these cookies below.
Functional Cookies: Functional cookies are special cookies that make a website work properly. These cookies are used during login for users. They can also ensure that products can be placed in the shopping basket in webshops. Without the use of cookies, a website or webshop works less well.
Tracking cookies: There are also tracking cookies. These cookies are placed to identify website visitors. These are cookies that ensure that people’s internet behaviour is followed over time. This information makes it easy to determine what the personal interests of a specific website visitor are. Based on this information, advertisements can be shown to the website visitor that match these interests.
Analytical cookies: And finally, there are the analytical cookies. By using analytical cookies, administrators can better see how their webshop or website is performing. For example, they can see exactly how many visitors they have had over a month or period. By being able to read this data, an administrator can take better follow-up steps. Analytical cookies are allowed up to a certain point without permission. However, visitors must be informed about the cookies and no personal data of the website visitors may be stored.
are cookies mandatory?
Obligation of cookies
Now you’re probably wondering: for which cookies is it mandatory to ask permission from website visitors? If you place cookies for a properly functioning website (functional cookies), you do not need to ask for permission. You do not have to ask permission for analytical cookies, unless the cookies have little to no benefit for current visitors. However, it is compulsory to inform visitors about the presence of analytical cookies.
If you want to use tracking cookies, then it is really mandatory to ask the website visitors for permission. You must make it clear who is collecting the information about them and how it is collected. You should also make clear what you are going to do with this information. The consent of website visitors is only valid if it is clearly stated and informs the visitor completely. It may not be said that tracking cookies are used automatically when visiting the website. It is then not at all clear to the visitor why he or she is being followed, what is being followed and for what purpose this is. So make sure this is always clear and inform your visitor fully when necessary.
Need help with your cookies?
Need help with the cookies in your web design? Then let Intoteq develop your website, so we can immediately process the cookies in the right way. This way you can be sure that you won’t have any problems with them. We are happy to be of service!
