Cookie manager: role, operation, and best practices

Introduction

A website, even a simple showcase site, is often just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to GDPR compliance. From the very first visit, the way the site is displayed on a computer, tablet, or smartphone, via a web browser or other navigation software, provides valuable clues about how seriously your organization takes personal data protection.

Regulatory authorities, business partners, and clients quickly form an opinion about your level of compliance simply by viewing your content and checking for the presence of a correctly configured, legible, and transparent cookie banner (also known as a cookie manager).

However, most websites store cookies as soon as you connect online, whether to measure audience size, analyze site traffic, improve certain features, facilitate sharing on social networks, or offer a better personalized user experience.

These cookies, stored in the user's browser, can collect various data such as the date and time of browsing, the approximate location, the number of visits, the pages viewed, and the duration of browsing before closing the browser. Their use is strictly regulated by the GDPR the e-Privacy Directive, which makes it essential to implement a compliant, clear, and correctly configured cookie manager.

Websites: What is a cookie banner and how does it work?

Definition

The cookie banner isthe visible interface that informs users about the presence of cookies on a website and allows them to express their choices. It acts as a key tool for compliance and consent management.

How it works

An effective cookie manager performs several essential tasks:

• Clearly inform users about the different types of cookies used: technical cookies, analytical cookies, advertising cookies, social media sharing cookies, etc.
• Enable free and informed choice through clear buttons: accept, decline, or customize.
• Ensure that cookies subject to consent are only placed after explicit action by the user.
• Record user decisions (acceptance, refusal, duration, expiration date) in order to have usable evidence in case of an audit.

These decisions are generally stored on the server or in the user's browser for a limited period of time, in accordance with the recommendations of the CNIL (National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties) consent being valid for a maximum of 6 months) and the rules applied by most internet browsers.

Choosing a cookie manager: off-the-shelf solutions or in-house development?

Tools that are available on the market but do not imply default compliance

To facilitate the implementation of a cookie manager, there are many solutions available on the market. Among the most widely used are:

• Cookiebot: offers automatic website scanning, cookie categorization, and comprehensive consent management.
• OneTrust: a robust solution, often used by large organizations, integrating multi-region compliance.
• Didomi: UX and user experience oriented, with a dashboard dedicated to tracking preferences.

However, using a recognized cookie manager alone does not guarantee compliance. It is the precise configuration of the cookie banner, the categories displayed, the cookies actually stored, the methods used to obtain consent, and the accessibility of information that determines whether the system fully complies with the requirements of GDPR.

Use an internal cookie manager

It is also possible to develop an in-house cookie manager or use an open-source solution integrated directly into the website. For example, the WordPress plugin Tarteaucitron allows you to manage visitor consent and configure cookie storage in a granular and compliant manner.

GDPR compliance GDPR What rules must be followed to ensure a cookie banner is compliant?

GDPR rules depending on the type of cookie stored

For a cookie banner to be compliant, it is not enough to simply display it: specific GDPR e-privacy directive rules must be followed. One of the key points is to distinguish between different categories of cookies, as not all of them require the same level of consent.

• Technical or functional cookies: These cookies are necessary for the website to function (e.g., for session management, shopping cart, or maintaining language preferences). They do not require prior consent.
• Analytical cookies: These measure audience, performance, site traffic, or user behavior. Their use generally requires prior consent, except when they strictly meet the exemption conditions defined by the CNIL (National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties) (anonymized data, Purpose , Data retention period).
• Advertising or tracking cookies: These cookies are used to target users with personalized content. They require clear consent and prior opt-in before any data is collected.
• Third-party cookies and sharing cookies: Sharing cookies linked to social networks (LinkedIn, Facebook, X, etc.) or external communication services must be integrated into the cookie manager and blocked until the user has given their consent.

Key requirements for a GDPR cookie banner

In practice, a compliant banner must:

1. Clearly inform users about the categories of cookies and their Purpose via a cookie-specific privacy policy for optimal information).
2. Offer the option to consent to or refuse each category, except for strictly technical cookies.
3. Allow changes to be made at any time via an easily accessible link or interface.
4. Do not pre-check the boxes, so that consent is free and informed.

By complying with these rules, you ensure that your cookie banner is not just a formal obligation, but actually contributes to transparency and the protection of your visitors' personal data.

Download a checklist for a GDPR cookie banner

We have designed a practical and operational checklist to help you verify, point by point, whether your cookie banner and consent manager comply with the requirements of GDPR the e-Privacy Directive.

Why compliance with these rules is essential for a compliant cookie manager

Compliance with cookie regulations is not limited to a simple technical requirement. As a website publisher, you are responsible for how personal data is collected and processed via your cookie manager.

Personal data: How are new regulations and technologies impacting cookies on websites?

The world of data protection and consent is changing fast. Cookie managers are no longer just a technical tool: they have to adapt to a changing legal framework and increasingly demanding user expectations.

New regulations: towards enhanced consent

The GDPR the foundations for data protection, but the ePrivacy Directive, which is set to be replaced by the future ePrivacy Regulation, aims to specifically regulate online tracking and the use of cookies.

This legislative change could:

• Make explicit consent mandatory for all cookies, including certain cookies that are currently exempt.
• Require even finer granularity in user choices: option to accept or reject subcategories of cookies (targeted advertising, advanced analytics tracking, social sharing, etc.).
• Impose strict rules for third-party cookies, with enhanced control over external services integrated into websites.

For website publishers, this means that cookie managers must be able to adapt quickly to new legal requirements, or face financial penalties or formal notices from supervisory authorities.

Alternative technologies related to cookie management: minimizing tracking while remaining compliant

Faced with increasing restrictions on user tracking, several technologies are emerging to limit the impact of cookies while retaining certain analytical or advertising features:

• Google Privacy Sandbox: a set of solutions aimed at replacing individual tracking with anonymized or aggregated methods.
• Consent Mode: allows you to configure the storage of cookies based on the user's actual consent, adapting the functioning of advertising and analytics tools.
• Server-side solutions: certain data is now processed on the server side rather than in the browser, reducing the need for third-party cookies while complying with the GDPR.

These innovations offer cookie managers ways to balance compliance, marketing performance, and user experience.

UX trends: users increasingly wary of cookie banners

Finally, changes in the legal framework have been accompanied by greater awareness among internet users. Today, a cookie banner is no longer seen as a mere formality:

• Users expect to be able to easily manage their preferences and understand what the collected data is used for.
• Transparency is becoming a key factor in building trust: a website that offers a clear and accessible cookie manager enhances its credibility.
• Personalized experiences based on informed consent are better perceived, increasing engagement while remaining compliant.

In summary, the combination of new regulations, technological innovations, and stricter UX requirements is gradually transforming the role of the cookie manager: it is becoming a strategic lever for compliance, transparency, and user experience, rather than a simple tool for collecting consent.

Conclusion

The cookie manager goes beyond the simple role of a banner: it is a strategic tool for ensuring GDPR compliance, guaranteeing transparency, and improving the user experience. When properly configured, it protects personal data, secures its use, and enhances the credibility of your site among visitors, partners, and regulatory authorities.

By integrating a high-performance cookie manager, your site becomes a lever for transparency and performance, reconciling compliance with legal obligations and optimization of navigation, without compromising the quality of analytics and content personalization.