Today European privacy laws come into force in the UK, with the intention of giving internet users more control over the data websites gather about them.
 
New rules require websites to obtain consent when placing 'cookies' on your computer, mobile or other device.
 
Cookies are used all over the web for a variety of reasons - from enabling basic functionality to help the web remember your preferences, to creating detailed profiles of your browsing activity.
 
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) published guidance on changes to the cookies rules earlier this month to clarify how websites should obtain user consent for cookies.
 
source - BBC London

Such laws are creating more and more problems for online merchants.

That may be so, but in the UK we will still have to comply and no-one seems able to tell me that we will.

This law comes into force today and my Viart sites are now trading illegally. So all the talk in other topics about new features are meaningless if I get shut down.
 
Now, I know we will have grace time as the majority of UK web sites (not just shops) are not yet compliant. It seems we are unlikely to get into trouble for the next twelve months - bu I know how long it takes to implement such a change - and will I have to pay the full 12 months renweal just to have a legally compliant site - or will Viart do a decent thing and provide an 'add on' like Joomla? I do hope so.
 
The absence of any response here to this matter from Viart does worry me - Vera?
 
I can't say to the regulators 'didn't know about it' if challenged - unless I can plead deaf, blind AND ignorant.
 
I have a Joomla Site for my community that will be compliant by the end of this weekend because a third party developer is offering an add-on for a mere handful of dollars.
 
Fortunately I also use Joomla to support my Viart shop - www.info.malikstores.co.uk/
 
I set this up to have better management and presentation of a mass of data and to facilitate better customer contact - and to make my shop appear cleaner and more modern (mmm templates, another issue)
 
I am sure I won't be 100% compliant but I am going to put the Cookie add-on there and link it from the shop.
 
I wish I didn't have to botch it like this but I have to do something.
 
Oh, and beware if you sell into the UK. I am sure that you will ultimately find yourself needing to comply if you accept orders from UK citizens - we won't tolerate being subject to a law that only applies to UK nationals.
 
Also see www.aboutcookies.org/Default.aspx?page=3
Do take this seriously.
 
Chris

Hi Chris,
 
After long time due to some personal issues but happy to see your logo here, feel like I m in my home back.
 
I just read your post and now search some on google about Cookies law in UK.
 
I would like to know about this because I was out for long time from internet community.
 
If I start my shop with viart shopping cart, will we need to upgrade or changing or amended something before launching site or will we need to change from Admin panel somewhere, because at the moment I will start payment via Paypal only.
 
Will be thankful to you for early response.
 
Thanks and best regards

Chris,
 
The aboutcookies website, and other articles I've found, actually point out that it will not take a lot to be compliant. All you need to do, is let you visitors know that you collect them, and create a section in your privacy policy that tells them what they are, how you use them, and how to delete them if they wish.
 
If you do NOT have a privacy policy, I would begin there, and make a section that does exactly what you're supposed to. The built in articles function should be more than sufficient.
 
hth

Dan,
 
The law requires a positive acceptance of cookies which means that you need something like a dialogue box that allows the customer to accept and decline.
 
The aboutcookies site says:
If cookies are used in a site, the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (UK Regulations) provide that .... the user must give his or her consent to the placing of the cookies.
 
This is spelled out in section 6 of the regulation.
The requirements are that the subscriber or user of that terminal equipment -
(a) is provided with clear and comprehensive information about the purposes of the storage of, or access to, that information; and
(b) has given his or her consent.
 
You will find large UK sites are already doing this - banks have acceptance pages like this
 
==========================
Are you happy for us to use cookies?
 
Some features that are designed to give you a better online experience only work if we use cookies.
 
You can change your mind at any time but, for now, are you happy for us to store and access cookies on your device for the purposes described?
Set Consent Cookie
 
Current Setting: Yes
Yes
No
 
================================
 
It is also typical of UK regulators to have legislation creep up on you; I have experienced this first hand in financial services. So, poor compliance will lead to stricter regulation.
 
Don't be complacent, you have to evidence that the user "has given his or her consent".
 
The regulator requires a positive action be web sites and will not accept a soft statement as compliance.
 
And please not this is an EC Directive so expect to see it spread across Europe. Perhaps is already is - I only know about UK law.
 
Chris

Haider , if your question is whether you need to upgrade to meet the cookie regulation, the answer is no.
 
Viart adds new features but ignores my request with this. So, in effect, you are on your own and you need to find a way to do this. My solution falls short of the letter of the law but at least I can make a step in the right direction.
 
I suspect that software houses will suddenly realise the importance of this and create the module to be compliant.
 
It is my belief, in the UK at least, that traders will only seek out compliant software and I so much hope that Viart will sell us a module to add to our existing configuration. You will note that I do not want it in an upgrade and have to spend hundreds of pounds just for this modification.
 
I will next upgrade when the required significant improvements are made to the current features.
 
Will that be the case, Vera? Treat your existing customers as important to you? Please.

Please visit the link below to get more information about using cookies in ViArt Shop and where to disable them:
http://www.viart.com/uk_cookies_law_update.html
 
If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
 
Regards,
ViArt Team

Thank you Vera, that is very helpful and appreciated.
 
Chris

Hello christopherO,
 
I am really happy and proud to be a member of community where persons like you!
 
You always response my post and very useful for me too.
 
I know, how busy person you are but you response me quickly so I would like to say thank you very much for your time for brief answer.
 
Thank you very much again
 
Haider