The effects GDPR has had on web design so far…

When visiting websites you may have encountered a thing called ‘cookies’. Cookies are small files that are designed to hold information about your activity online and in turn deliver a tailored online experience. Usually, web pages have dozens of cookies that are used for design optimisation by developers and marketers. GDPR has since changed how these cookies can be used and therefore effects web industry overall.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) took effect in May 2018 with the aim to create a clear set of data protection laws across all member states. This has had a significant effect on online privacy regulations and has seen a 22% drop in cookies on new sites since its establishment. GDPR has also had a noteworthy effect on third party cookies. Third party cookies are set pieces of data which allow an identifier to record your web use. Research has shown the average number of cookies on new sites has decreased substantially since April, especially in the U.K.

Prior to GDPR, two types of cookies were popularly used; Design optimisation and advertising and marketing cookies. Since May advertising and marketing cookies have fell by 14% and design optimisation cookies have fell by a huge 27%.

This will come as no surprise to those familiar with the new legislation, as GDPR defines cookies as personal data. Therefore the use of such cookies has decreased in order to abide with the regulation.

The overall effect this has had on web design is the general coding of a site. Since GDPR, developers have begun to rethink their code and evaluate the use of features they once utilised. This will create more ‘careful’ creation of sites due to the uncertainty in the legislation itself and lead to improved protection of users across all member states.