Cookies Opt Out

An important topic in the field of data protection and privacy is how to deal with cookies and the possibility of an opt out. In order to understand why opt out cookies are so important, it should be clear what a cookie is and when it is made use of or usage is found for it.

A cookie is a small text file that is stored in the browser of a users computer. Certain user data is stored in cookies. This is done for the purpose of coordinating the Internet site – usually the displayed advertisement – to match the interests and the special surfing behavior of the user. Some users of online contents certainly see a certain advantage from this. When the storage of preferences and behavior is conducted, maybe something such as selecting the preferred site language, time is saved and the usability of the site is increased online. It is also possible to play off the search behavior of the user-matched advertisement (Online Behavioral Advertising).

Some users would like to object to the use of their own data for user-defined advertisement. For this the website should offer the option of carrying out an opt out. Via the opt out, the user can prohibit the storage of the data. Information will no longer be stored in cookies and also no longer used for the purpose of Online Behavioral Advertising. An option for this opt out should be part of the data privacy statement of the website, which must also provide an info notice about the use of cookies.

What’s problematic is that some companies still do not offer any possibility for an opt out in the privacy policy of their website and the surf behavior of the user is nonetheless stored in cookies. That often makes it very difficult for the user to object to the use of personalized advertisement. The user of a Website should be informed that he or she has a right to refuse the usage of the pertaining information in stored cookies. In addition, a contact address should definitely be provided in the data privacy statement, which can be contacted in the case of questions, such as for the opt out, and complaints concerning privacy issues.

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