Skip to main content

On-demand webinar coming soon...

Blog

The ICO's stance on user privacy and website compliance

How can businesses ensure that they’re truly honoring user privacy when going about targeted advertising on websites? See what the UK’s ICO has to say about it

Param Gopalasamy
Content Marketing Specialist - CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM
December 14, 2023

Woman looks at her computer monitor in an office..

In an era where online ads seem uncannily tailored to our preferences, the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is stepping up to ensure user privacy isn't compromised. With a recent announcement targeting the country's most visited websites, the ICO is making a bold statement about the balance between personalized advertising and user consent.

 

ICO's ultimatum to UK Websites

30-Day compliance deadline

The ICO has recently issued a warning to numerous high-traffic UK websites, emphasizing the need for immediate compliance with data protection laws and previous guidance. These websites have been given a 30-day ultimatum to align their operations with legal standards, ensuring user privacy is not infringed upon. This means that consent should be as easy to take away or reject as it is to accept, and targeted ads are only shown to those who consent to them. 

 

January update and potential repercussions

A follow-up by the ICO is scheduled for January, promising to disclose the status of these companies, especially those failing to address the concerns raised. This action signifies the ICO's commitment to safeguarding online user rights, particularly in the realm of digital advertising. Enforcement actions loom for companies that are found to be non-compliant.  

 

The ICO's concerns: Personalized ads and privacy invasions

The reality of hyper-personalized ads

Stephen Almond, ICO's Executive Director of Regulatory Risk, highlights the eeriness of encountering ads that seem almost psychic in their accuracy. This issue transcends mere coincidence, reflecting a deeper concern about how personal information is utilized without explicit user consent.

 

Specific instances of concern

The ICO points out several alarming scenarios: gambling addicts receiving tailored betting offers, women being targeted with sensitive ads post-miscarriage, and individuals having their sexuality potentially exposed through ad targeting. These examples underscore the ICO's worries about the misuse of personal data in online advertising. Those concerns are highlighted in a detailed manner in a joint position paper from ICO and CMA. The document illustrates a deep review of choice architecture and types of constraints impairing users to provide meaningful choice.

 

The dichotomy of cookie consent: Accept all vs. reject all

Ensuring fair choice for users

A major focus of the ICO's directive is the need for websites to provide a fair choice to users regarding tracking for personalized ads. The idea is to make rejecting all advertising cookies as simple as accepting them, a move that would significantly empower user autonomy online.

 

Advertising without tracking

The ICO clarifies that even if users opt to reject tracking, websites can still display ads. However, these ads must not be tailored to the individual user, ensuring a non-intrusive browsing experience.

 

The path forward: Compliance or consequences

A clear choice for companies

Acknowledging that many prominent websites have successfully adapted to these privacy standards, the ICO presents a clear ultimatum to those lagging: adapt now or face the consequences. This stance by the ICO represents a critical juncture in the online advertising industry, where user rights are being vehemently defended.

 

A broader mission for user rights

This initiative is part of a larger effort by the ICO to uphold user rights in the face of evolving digital advertising practices. By addressing these issues head-on, the ICO aims to foster an online environment where user privacy and consent are paramount.

 

Steering towards a more privacy-conscious internet

The ICO's recent actions signify a crucial shift towards greater respect for user privacy in the realm of online advertising. As we await the January update, it's clear that the balance between personalized advertising and user consent is being redrawn, with the ICO is at the forefront of this pivotal change. For internet users and website operators alike, this marks a new chapter in navigating the intricate web of digital privacy.

 

What does this mean for your organization?

If your business has a major presence in the UK, with significant web traffic from that jurisdiction – you’ll need to ensure that your website not only has a “reject all” option for consent which is as easily accessible as an “accept all”, but also that targeted ads aren’t shown at the time of collecting consent. The design must facilitate user choice and control, enabling individuals to make effective decisions about their personal information while maintaining authority over its usage.

Take a look at the current website data collection mechanisms that your organization has in place and determine whether they fit these ICO guidelines

 

How OneTrust helps?

When it comes to having the right consent and preferences solution in place, OneTrust can help your organization not only comply with applicable regulations – but also utilize consent and preference data to enable personalized experiences that can turn your one-time customers into loyal members of your brand. 

Our solutions can help deliver the architecture practices for good choice recommended by the ICO:

  • Put the user at the heart of design choices: You have the possibility to fully customize the design approach of our Banner and Preference Center to align them with your brand identity and to facilitate the user journey through the consent collection.

  • Use design that empowers user choice and control: You can distribute your necessary disclosures through different layers and formats, ensuring that users will not be overloaded with information as well as helping them to make meaningful and freely given decisions over whether to accept or reject tracking technologies.

  • Test and trial design choices: Before publishing the final version of your Banner and Preference Center template, you have the possibility to perform several tests to understand consumer comprehension, experience, and feelings of control. The testing features, such as the A/B testing with different templates, help you to mitigate beforehand potential harms, biases, and nudging behavior in your framework.

  • Comply with data protection, consumer, and competition law: Our platform offers a variety of out-of-the-box templates covering different Jurisdictions and specific legal requirements. Your customization journey can start by selecting one of those templates with at least the minimum mandatory requirements per Jurisdiction.

From website audits to transparent privacy notices with intuitive policy explanations, and native data collection spots that reinforce privacy at every touchpoint – OneTrust Consent & Preferences helps your organization go beyond compliance and keep your customer’s privacy at the forefront of your digital operations. 

To learn more about how OneTrust Consent & Preferences can help your organization, request a demo today.


You may also like

Webinar

Cookie Consent

Elevate your data strategy: From cookies to universal consent & preferences

Transform your customer relationships. From cookie consent to holistic customer profiles, unlock universal preferences. 

October 23, 2024

Learn more

eBook

Consent & Preferences

Unlock the power of first-party data and transform compliance into competitive advantage

Unlock the power of first-party data to drive compliance and competitive advantage. Learn to manage, activate, and govern your data for personalized customer engagement.

October 15, 2024

Learn more

Report

Consent & Preferences

OneTrust acknowledged as a Representative Vendor in the Gartner® Market Guide for Consent and Preference Management ​

Explore key insights from the 2024 Gartner® Market Guide Gartner® Market Guide for Consent and Preference Management.

October 10, 2024

Learn more

eBook

Consent & Preferences

Operationalizing first-party data in advertizing

Learn how to harness the power of first-party data in digital marketing. Discover strategies to operationalize data, ensure accuracy, and drive decision-making in this comprehensive guide for marketing organizations.

October 10, 2024

Learn more

Webinar

Cookie Consent

Unpacking Google's third-party cookies decision: What marketers need to know

Join our webinar to learn about Google's decision to keep third-party cookies and how it impacts marketers. Get actionable strategies and stay ahead in data privacy.

August 13, 2024

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

The ultimate consent strategy for maximizing customer opt-ins in 2024

Discover the ultimate consent strategy for 2024! Watch our webinar to maximize customer opt-ins, optimize user experience, and maintain compliance.

July 30, 2024

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Unlocking marketing ROI: Delivering personalized campaigns with 360-degree profiles

Learn to optimize ad targeting and improve relevance using 360-degree profiles. Watch our webinar to craft personalized campaigns that resonate and drive ROI.

July 16, 2024

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

How consent automation fuels omni-channel engagement & personalization

Discover how consent automation fuels omni-channel engagement across web, mobile, and CTV. Join us to learn effective cross-platform CMP strategies.

July 02, 2024

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Building customer trust: Unify consent across your tech stack

Discover the power of unified consent across your tech stack. Join our webinar for strategies to enhance compliance, trust, and customer engagement.

June 24, 2024

Learn more

Infographic

Consent & Preferences

First-party data, programmatic ads, and what advertising holds in 2024

Uncover the future of advertising in 2024. Our infographic highlights the importance of first-party data for compliance, trust, and effective customer engagement.

June 13, 2024

Learn more

Infographic

Consent & Preferences

How consent and preferences fits into your organization

When looking at a consent and preferences solution, it’s tough to picture what it’ll look like in your marketing tech stack. Download our infographic to learn more.

June 12, 2024

Learn more

Infographic

Consent & Preferences

How does OneTrust integrate with Salesforce Marketing Cloud?

Does your business use Salesforce Marketing Cloud? Learn more about how OneTrust Consent & Preferences can integrate with your system to maximize efficiency and value.

June 11, 2024

Learn more

Infographic

Consent & Preferences

How does OneTrust integrate with HubSpot?

Does your business use HubSpot? Learn more about OneTrust Consent & Preferences can integrate and maximize efficiency and value.

June 11, 2024

Learn more

Infographic

Consent & Preferences

How does OneTrust integrate with Marketo?

Does your business use Marketo? Learn more about how OneTrust Consent & Preference can integrate with Marketo to maximize efficiency and value.

June 11, 2024

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Unlocking customer insights: Enhancing marketing with first-party data

Discover strategies to leverage first-party data for targeted marketing, personalization, compliance, and customer engagement.

June 03, 2024

Learn more

eBook

Consent & Preferences

Consent management: How financial services firms build trust

How can financial services organizations benefit from a consent management solution? Download our eBook powered with Capco’s expertise today.

May 01, 2024

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Building omni-channel trust: From unknown users to loyal customers

Learn essential strategies for collecting and managing consent effectively across channels to transform unknown users into loyal customers.

May 01, 2024

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Build trust and honour customers privacy with OneTrust Consent & Preferences

Learn how OneTrust Universal Consent and Preference Management help give individuals control over their consent, preferences, and first-party data.

April 11, 2024

Learn more

Infographic

Consent & Preferences

FAQ on the deprecation of third-party cookies

Navigate the deprecation of third-party cookies with our informative infographic. Discover essential insights on transitioning to first-party data, the future without cookies, and the role of consent management.

March 29, 2024

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

3 predictions for the impacts of 3rd party cookie deprecation

Stay ahead of the curve! Gain insights into the impacts of third-party cookie deprecation & actionable strategies for marketing success. Watch now!

March 26, 2024

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

The unified consent strategy every marketer needs in 2024

Join us to master Unified Consent! Seamlessly integrate preferences across your tech stack, drive customer satisfaction, and boost revenue. Watch today!

March 19, 2024

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Achieving compliance excellence: Your path to marketing success

Unlock marketing success with a comprehensive CMP. Deliver tailored user experiences and maintain compliance across web, mobile, and CTV. Watch now!

February 15, 2024

Learn more

Report

Consent & Preferences

The state of data privacy and trust in marketing 2024

Navigate the intersection of data, privacy, & trust with OneTrust. Explore report insights on responsible data use, legal compliance, & building customer trust.

January 21, 2024

Learn more

Infographic

Consent & Preferences

Unify consented data across your tech stack

How does consented data help the rest of your tech stack level up? And what does this mean for your customers? Find out the answers and more with this infographic.

January 11, 2024

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Permission-based Personalization: The Power of a Centralized Record of Consent

Join us to explore the power of consent record centralization and its impact on elevating customer personalization while respecting privacy.

December 18, 2023

Learn more

Infographic

Consent & Preferences

The consent and preferences roadmap

How can your organization get started with consent and preferences? What are the first steps to take? Download our infographic to learn more.

December 11, 2023

Learn more

eBook

Consent & Preferences

The basics of consent and preferences

When it comes to consent and preferences, what are the basic points that your organization needs to keep in mind? Download the eBook to learn more.

December 11, 2023

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Why consent and compliance matter with programmatic ads

Learn how to manage and transmit consent signals for programmatic ads to boost user trust and revenue without compromising compliance. Watch now!

November 07, 2023

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Compliant omni-channel automation: How to be a responsible marketer?

Join this webinar and learn how to create a compliant privacy-first marketing program that respects customer consent across multiple channels.

October 12, 2023

Learn more

Resource Kit

Consent & Preferences

AdTech and consent toolkit 2023

Master TCF 2.2 & Google CMP requirements with our AdTech and Consent Toolkit 2023. Stay compliant and succeed in the privacy-first advertising landscape.

October 10, 2023

Learn more

Infographic

Consent & Preferences

How OneTrust integrates with Snowflake

When it comes to personalized marketing campaigns, email lists, or any other activation, make sure you’re staying compliant with all applicable privacy regulations.

October 09, 2023

Learn more

Resource Kit

Consent & Preferences

The IAB TCF 2.2 mastery toolkit

Master IAB TCF 2.2: Gain insights, navigate changes, and empower your organization with our resource kit. Download now!

October 05, 2023

Learn more

White Paper

Consent & Preferences

Creating personalized consent-driven experiences

Learn best practices for managing user data and preferences in our latest white paper on personalization and compliance.

September 27, 2023

Learn more

Resource Kit

Consent & Preferences

The Google CMP requirements toolkit

Master Google's CMP Standards: Stay compliant and excel in the evolving ad landscape. Download our Google CMP Requirements Toolkit now!

September 27, 2023

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Adobe + OneTrust: How to market responsibly with consent-based experiences

Join Adobe and OneTrust as we discuss best practices for deploying consent-based marketing campaigns and privacy-first experiences.

August 29, 2023

Learn more

Webinar

Cookie Consent

Trust matters: Building consumer confidence in a cookieless world

Join us and learn how to build consumer trust and drive marketing ROI without relying on third-party cookies.

August 01, 2023

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Consent-based advertising: Connecting with customers in a privacy-centric world

Get the insights you need to launch privacy-first advertising campaigns and build strong customer relationships based on trust.

July 28, 2023

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Consent-driven advertising: How successful organizations deliver personalized experiences with first-party data

Gain practical tips on collecting, managing, and using first-party data to deliver personalized experiences that prioritize user consent. Watch now!

July 12, 2023

Learn more

Checklist

Consent & Preferences

The marketer's first-party data checklist

Download our in-depth first-party data checklist and begin building privacy-first marketing strategy that builds trust and keeps your organization compliant.

July 11, 2023

Learn more

Infographic

Consent & Preferences

Navigating Google's new CMP requirements

Adapt to Google's June 2023 CMP requirements with this infographic and confidently engage your audience while staying compliant.

June 20, 2023

Learn more

eBook

Consent & Preferences

The ultimate guide to consent and preferences for marketers

Download this eBook and learn how marketers can apply consent and preference principles to build a relationship with their audience built on trust.

June 02, 2023

Learn more

Video

Consent & Preferences

The strongest consumer relationships are built on first-party data, not third-party cookies

Request a OneTrust Consent & Preferences demo video and learn how to unlock the potential of first-party data and establish a relationship with your customers based on trust.

June 02, 2023

Learn more

Infographic

Cookie Consent

5 GDPR-compliant cookie banner guidelines from the EDPB

Download our infographic to learn more about how to operationalize the EDPB’s GDPR-compliant cookie guidelines and keep your organization compliant.

March 02, 2023

Learn more

eBook

Consent & Preferences

The ultimate guide to consent and preferences in the healthcare sector

Download the guide to learn more about how to use consent and preferences to elevate patient and customer experiences in the healthcare sector.

February 15, 2023

Learn more

eBook

Cookie Consent

Your Playbook for a Cookieless World eBook

Download this ebook to learn why third-party cookies are deprecating, what solutions are available, and how to put privacy and consumer trust first.

February 09, 2023

Learn more

Infographic

Cookie Consent

10 tips to master cookie consent

Download our infographic and learn how to create a Consent Management Platform that meets compliance requirements, maximizes opt-ins, and builds trust. 

September 12, 2022

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Fireside chat: A modern marketer’s approach to privacy & data

Learn the challenges and opportunities marketers face to deliver personalized experiences while remaining compliant with global privacy requirements.

September 08, 2022

Learn more

White Paper

Cookie Consent

Succeeding in a privacy-first world with Alex Cash

In this white paper, discover strategies for data collection to further business goals and how to prioritize data while ensuring the best customer experience.

August 03, 2022

Learn more

Webinar

Cookie Consent

Powering game-changing experiences Ahead of a cookieless world

Watch this webinar with mParticle and OneTrust to gain guidance for preparing for a cookieless world and opportunities to future-proof your database.

June 26, 2022

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

How to drive enhanced marketing & CX campaigns through trusted data use

Join Oracle & OneTrust to learn how to drive enhanced, privacy-centric personalization in marketing & CX campaigns through trusted data use.

June 14, 2022

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Data distribution: Integrating consent & preferences into MarTech & business systems

Watch this webinar to learn how to boost your integrated marketing performance with consent & preferences in CRMs, CDPs & marketing automation systems.

April 29, 2022

Learn more

Webinar

Cookie Consent

How marketers can adapt to a post-cookie world with OneTrust's Alex Cash

Learn how marketers can get ahead of a post-cookie world from Alex Cash, Director of Strategy, OneTrust & ExchangeWire's CEO Ciaran O'Kane.

April 06, 2022

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Consent governance: moving from chaos to control via data intelligence

Learn how to set up a strong consent governance strategy to achieve privacy-first data capture, distribution and activation.

April 04, 2022

Learn more

Webinar

Cookie Consent

How to prepare for the crumble of third-party cookies

Learn everything you need to know to prepare for the deprecation of third-party cookies from eMarketer & OneTrust in this on-demand webinar.

March 30, 2022

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Web, mobile, ctv: enhancing consumer trust in the omni-channel world

Learn how to leverage consent and preference management and cement consumer trust in your data protection practices.

March 28, 2022

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

OTT and CTV Liftoff: A deep dive into delivering personalized experiences to streamers

Learn how to incorporate consent and privacy strategies to deliver personalized experiences to streamers on OTT applications & CTV platforms.

March 06, 2022

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Prioritizing data transparency: A critical ingredient in trust, loyalty and ROI

Learn how can you prioritize data transparency and share openly with consumers in order to build trust, gain loyalty and improve ROI.

January 02, 2022

Learn more

Webinar

Cookie Consent

The crumble of third-party cookies: How to prepare in 2022

Learn how your organization can leverage smart preference management to overcome the deprecation of third-party cookies.

January 02, 2022

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Google consent mode & OneTrust CMP

Learn the benefits of using Google Consent Mode with the OneTrust CMP (Cookie Consent) to balance compliance and marketing objectives.

October 27, 2021

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

Navigating a complex framework: IAB TCF 2.0 upgrade checklist

Watch this webinar where we cover the complexity the IAB TCF 2.0 framework and providing a checklist to help you navigate your migration.

July 21, 2021

Learn more

Webinar

Consent & Preferences

IAB TCF 2.0 deep dive: Overview, terminology, resources

Watch this webinar for a deep dive into the IAB TCF framework and what's new in the second version.

July 20, 2021

Learn more