“

Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.

— Potter Stewart, U.S. Supreme Court Justice

🇪🇺 EU / UK (GDPR + ePrivacy)

• Required: Prior, explicit opt-in before loading analytics cookies

• Granular controls: Let users toggle categories on/off

• Informed consent: Explain cookie purposes clearly

• Record & renew: Keep consent records and refresh (≈12 months)

🇺🇸 United States

• No federal cookie law—rules vary by state

• California (CCPA/CPRA)

• Must disclose cookie use and data collection

• Provide a “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” opt-out

• No blanket opt-in requirement for analytics

• Other states (e.g., Virginia) are rolling out similar opt-out rights

🇨🇦 Canada (PIPEDA)

• Banner not strictly mandated, but meaningful consent is

• You must inform users about cookies that collect personal/behavioral data

• Implied consent allowed if disclosure is clear and upfront (e.g. via notice or link to policy)

🌐 Best Practice for Global Sites

• Geo-aware CMP + Google Consent Mode

• Display region-appropriate banners/notices

• Offer granular opt-ins/opt-outs

• Record, store and renew consents

• Degrade analytics gracefully when consent is denied

Conclusion:

You know what’s right. Respect your users and follow your region’s regulations.

Some sources:

Set up Cookie Information to obtain user consent - Analytics Help

To capture valuable insights while protecting user privacy, you need to collect consent from your website users. We recommend you use a Consent Management Platform (CMP) or work with your Content Mana

Analytics Help

Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act

Federal laws of Canada

What is GDPR, the EU’s new data protection law? - GDPR.eu

What is the GDPR? Europe’s new data privacy and security law includes hundreds of pages’ worth of new requirements for organizations around the world. This GDPR overview will help…

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