We will agree that when browsing the web we encounter a constant obstacle: the 'annoying' cookie banners. These warnings, which ask us for consent to tracking on every website we visit, generate a generalized digital fatigue. Our day-to-day experience with customers confirms that this practice, far from protecting us, often causes the opposite effect: users click "Accept all" without thinking twice, simply for convenience.
The good news is that the European Union seems to have taken note of this situation. According to sources close to Brussels, the European Commission is working on a reform that could drastically simplify the process. The goal is clear: that users only have to configure their privacy preferences once, directly from the settings of their web browser. This would eliminate the need to accept or reject cookies on each page, giving the person more centralized and efficient control.
This initiative, which takes over from previous ideas such as those proposed by Denmark, seeks to put an end to the current digital bureaucracy. The current regulation, the 2009 ePrivacy Directive, has proven to be ineffective in its practical application. The current system encourages automatism, turning consent into a simple ritual without reflection, diluting its original purpose.
The proposed reform is a significant step forward. On the one hand, it reinforces the principle of data protection and improves the user experience. The simplification would facilitate the exercise of our digital rights, promoting a smoother and less intrusive browsing. But, as expected, this reform is not without resistance.
The tech industry, especially those that rely on online advertising, is opposed. They argue that such strict control over cookies could affect ad personalization, one of their main sources of revenue. These “lobbies” have already successfully opposed previous reform proposals, such as the 2017 ePrivacy Regulation. The debate focuses on finding a balance between protecting privacy and the competitiveness of the European tech sector. The industry has even suggested that cookie rules be incorporated into the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which takes a more flexible, risk-based approach.
The future of cookies will be debated again with the presentation of the Digital Fairness Act, a regulation that the European Commission plans to launch soon. This law will focus on online advertising and consumer protection against manipulative practices.
From our perspective, a real simplification of the rules is necessary. But let us not be mistaken: this is not about relaxing data protection, but about making it more effective. The end of cookie banners could mark the beginning of a new era where online privacy is not an obstacle, but an inherent and manageable part of our digital experience. Time will tell whether the European Union manages to overcome the resistance and change the rules of the game.
