What Is a Cookie Consent Banner?

The implementation and design of cookie consent banners are directly influenced by privacy regulations, notably the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ePrivacy Directive (Directive 2002/58/EC). Results from recent studies demonstrate that most sites use banners to inform users about the presence and function of cookies, with 72% of EU-based websites displaying some form of consent mechanism (Degeling et al., 2019). These banners primarily serve two functions: notification—informing users about cookie usage, and consent collection—allowing explicit acceptance or rejection.

Functionality studies indicate that effective consent banners possess the following characteristics:

• Clarity: Simple language describing what cookies are used for.
• Granularity: Options to accept, reject, or customize cookie usage.
• Accessibility: Easily accessible settings for later modification.

Despite regulatory requirements, compliance and usability vary significantly. According to Degeling et al. (2019), only 11.8% of analyzed banners provided an equally prominent option to reject all non-essential cookies as to accept them. This finding highlights a widespread issue: banners often nudge users toward the "accept" option, undermining informed consent.

Key findings:

• Dark patterns, such as hiding reject buttons or using ambiguous wording, remain prevalent.
• Consent mechanisms are more common and detailed in jurisdictions with stricter enforcement.
• User studies report that over 50% of users do not fully read or understand cookie banners, resulting in uninformed consent.

Banners that adhere to legal requirements and employ best design practices contribute positively to user autonomy and privacy. However, the current landscape shows a need for continued improvement in both compliance and UX, as demonstrated by empirical audits and user research.