Cookies
Cookies are small files that the provider of a website places on a visitor's equipment. For example on a computer, telephone or tablet. Cookies can be used to collect or store information about the website visit or about (the device of) the user.

​

Tracking cookies
If the cookies can also be read when visiting another website, we call this tracking cookies. These cookies allow organizations to track people's internet behavior over time.

Personal interests can be derived from the information about visited websites. This allows organizations to show their website visitors targeted advertisements, for example.

Tracking cookies make it possible to create profiles of people (profiling) and to treat them differently. Tracking cookies usually process personal data.

​

Legal rules for cookies
Legal rules apply to the use of cookies. These are in the first place rules from the Telecommunications Act (Tw).

However, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) also applies to tracking cookies (in combination with other data collected about the website visit).

An explanation of the legal requirements for other types of cookies can be found on the website of the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM).

​

Cookie walls
Cookie walls are not allowed under the GDPR. This is because the GDPR sets certain requirements for the necessary permission for placing tracking cookies.

With a cookie wall (cookie wall), websites, apps or other services cannot receive valid permission from their visitors or users.