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BBC Site Uses Cookies To Inform Visitors of Anti-Cookie Law

Posted by timothy on from the only-criminals-will-have-cookies dept.

Andy Smith writes "As of 26 May 2011 web sites in the UK must get a user's permission to set cookies. If you go to the BBC's commercial TV listings site Radio Times you'll see a message telling you about the new law. Go to the site again, though, and you don't see the message. How does the site know you've already seen it? By setting a cookie of course! It doesn't ask for permission."

2 of 98 comments (clear)

  1. idiot submission by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    The new cookie laws are only about tracking cookies, not session cookies or cookies necessary for the functioning of the website.
    That cookie is not a tracking cookie, as such it isn't breaking the law. non-news.

  2. Re:Lack of tech know how by beelsebob · · Score: 5, Informative

    No, that's what you get when the person writing the article doesn't understand what's happened - it's absolutely legal to store cookies that are required for the functionality of the site. This will clearly count. What's not legal is storing cookies that are only for tracking you without asking.