In Europe and certain US states, website operators using cookies for analytical, market research, or advertising purposes, are now required to provide a cookie policy that includes a statement warning users that their data is being collected. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), for example, requires an active opt-in or at the very least implied consent. The California Consumer Privacy Act passed in 2018 requires website users to opt-out rather than opt-in to the use of cookies. Compared to the GDPR, however, websites operating solely in the US do not require explicit cookie consent from their users.
However, unless you are certain that only US users will access your website, it can be a good idea to provide cookie notices that require an active opt-in. Some website owners operate multiple sites across different countries. In that case, different cookie policies could apply. For example, an international fashion retailer will need to ask for active consent to its cookie policy on its German website, but only be required to include a note saying that the website collects cookies on its US counterpart.
In this article, we’ll show you the best WordPress cookie plugins to ensure cookie compliance across the popular web hosting platform.