Google forces new cookie policy upon AdSense and DoubleClick users

Google has launched a new user consent policy, the company has announced via blog post on Monday. The policy forces DoubleClick and AdSense users to sort out their cookie tracking policies, in accordance with the laws of the European Union. Starting Monday, publishers are required to ask their visitors coming from the European Union for permission to use their data, Google explains. “European Union data protection authorities requested some changes to current practices for obtaining end user consents,” Jason Woloz, Security & Privacy Program Manager, Display and Video Ads writes in the blog post. “It has always been Google’s policy to comply with privacy laws, so we’ve agreed to make certain changes affecting our own products and partners using Google products.” This basically means publishers must ask site visitors for permission before setting cookies on their computers, which has been a practice established long ago in Europe’s ePrivacy Directive. It requires websites to get consent which is “informed, specific, freely given and must constitute a real indication of the individual’s wishes.” “If your websites are getting visitors from any of the countries in the European Union, you must comply with the EU user consent policy,” Woloz continues. “We recommend you start working on a policy-compliant user consent mechanism today. There’s guidance from data protection authorities and IABs across Europe on what is required to comply with relevant laws; the IAB’s IAB Europe Guidance: Five Practical Steps to help companies comply with the E-Privacy Directive is a good place to start.”