How do You know if a website uses cookies?
Cookies are tiny text files or temporary information used by websites to place on your device when you are browsing. Different countries have different cookie laws that require website owners to disclose which cookies they use and what information of the users they track and store in their database.
In this article, you will know how to find out if your WordPress website uses cookies and What are website cookies used for?
What are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are sent by the website to the user’s browser. Cookies are mainly used on the web to improve the user experience.
Types of Cookies
In general, WordPress uses two types of cookies.
Session Cookies: Session cookies are used to login and are set for all logged-in users on the WordPress website.
Comment Cookies: Comment cookies are used when the users leave a comment on the website. They store the user’s name, email address, and URL information so that they don’t have to re-enter it the next time they comment on the website.
Apart from WordPress, third-party plugins and tools may also place cookies for your WordPress website.
Read more: My response is on my own website
What are Cookie Laws?
Cookies have the functionality to track a lot of information about the users. Many countries have enacted laws that set guidelines for website owners.
European Union has GDPR Law and ePrivacy Directive. Countries like Japan, UK, Canada, and many more have laws that require website owners to get user consent and disclose the information they track and store about users.
When you go through different websites, you see cookie popups. These pop-ups allow website owners to comply with the cookie laws, GDPR, and other privacy laws in different countries.
How to check which Cookies are stored by a WordPress Website?
Web browsers make it easy to find the cookies set by any website you visit.
Google Chrome
You have to visit the WordPress website. After that click on the Not secure icon in the browser’s address bar. It will open a menu where you have to click on the “Cookies”.
It will bring up the cookies pop-up where you will see all the cookies set by the different websites in your browser.
You can also check the cookies in another way i.e. inspect the tool. Simply visit your website and right-click to select the inspect tool or by ctrl + shift+ I.
It will split your browser window and you will see the developer console panel. From here, you have to click on the Application Tab.
Now click on the cookies from the left column and you can see all the cookies on your website. And what type of data is stored by the cookie under the value column.
Mozilla Firefox
In Mozilla Firefox, visit the website and right-click to select the inspect tool. This will split the browser window and you will see the developer console panel. Now click on the Storage tab and click on the Cookies to view all the Cookies.
Comply with Cookie Laws for WordPress Websites
It is mandatory for the website to comply with the cookie laws. Here are some basic steps to make your website more trustworthy.
Create a Privacy Policy Page
A privacy policy page is legally required to comply with privacy and cookies laws.
Install a cookie Notification Plugin
Cookie notification plugins show a notification on your website that it uses cookies.
Keep an eye on plugins and Tools that use cookies
It checks your website cookies to make sure that you can connect each cookie to an installed plugin on your website.
We hope this article helped you learn how to check cookies on your website and make your WordPress website compliant with cookie laws.
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