Hey there, WordPress site owner! If you‘re like most people running a website these days, you‘ve probably heard a lot of buzz about cookies and online privacy laws. Maybe you‘ve seen those cookie consent pop-ups on other sites and wondered, "Does my WordPress site use cookies too? And if so, what do I need to do about it?"
Don‘t worry, you‘re not alone! With over 40% of all websites running on WordPress, this is a hot topic for millions of site owners worldwide. In this guide, we‘ll break down everything you need to know about cookies on your WordPress site, including:
- What cookies are and how WordPress sites use them
- How to view the cookies your site sets (with step-by-step instructions and screenshots!)
- WordPress plugins and settings you can use to control cookie usage
- How to comply with cookie laws like the GDPR and CCPA
By the end of this post, you‘ll have a clear understanding of your WordPress site‘s cookie usage and a game plan for ensuring your site is privacy-compliant. Let‘s dive in!
What Are Cookies, Exactly?
First things first: what the heck are cookies, anyway? Despite the delicious name, we‘re not talking about the chocolate chip variety! In web speak, a cookie is a small text file that a website saves on a user‘s device (computer, phone, tablet, etc.) when they visit the site.
These cookie files contain bits of information about the user‘s interactions with the site, such as:
- Login details and authentication tokens
- User preferences like language, location, or theme settings
- Contents of the user‘s shopping cart on e-commerce sites
- Which pages the user visited and for how long
Cookies allow websites to remember this information so they can provide a personalized, convenient user experience across multiple visits and page views. For example, when you check "Remember me" on a login page, cookies are what allow the site to keep you logged in even after you close your browser.
How WordPress Sites Use Cookies
So, how does this apply to your WordPress site? By default, WordPress itself only sets a few essential cookies:
Authentication cookies: These keep registered users (including administrators) logged into your site as they browse from page to page. WordPress will also set a cookie if a user selects "Remember Me" when logging in, so they stay logged in for 14 days, even if they close their browser.
Commenting cookies: If a visitor leaves a comment on one of your posts, WordPress will save their name, email address, and website URL in a cookie so they don‘t have to re-enter that info the next time they comment.
Depending on your site‘s specific setup and plugins, your WordPress site may also use cookies for:
Caching and performance: Caching plugins like WP Rocket and W3 Total Cache use cookies to serve cached versions of pages and improve load times for repeat visitors.
E-commerce: Plugins like WooCommerce rely on cookies to power shopping cart and checkout functionality, remember logged-in customers, and personalize product recommendations.
Analytics: Tools like Google Analytics set cookies to track user behavior metrics like pageviews, bounce rate, and conversion events.
Advertising: Cookies allow ad networks to track users across different websites and display targeted ads based on their browsing history. If your WordPress site displays ads, it likely uses advertising cookies.
Social media: Embedded social media buttons and widgets (like a Facebook "Like" button or Twitter feed) can set cookies to track user interactions and link their browsing activity to their social media profile.
A/B testing and personalization: Some WordPress plugins use cookies to track which version of a page or feature a user sees in an A/B test, or to display different content to different users based on their preferences or behavior.
According to a 2020 study by WP White Security, the average WordPress site has 52 cookies set by WordPress itself, plugins, and third-party scripts and services. That‘s a lot of cookies!
How to View the Cookies Used by Your WordPress Site
Now that you know the types of cookies commonly used by WordPress, let‘s walk through how to see the specific cookies your site is setting. Most modern browsers have built-in tools that make it easy to view and manage cookies:
- Open your WordPress site in Chrome, right-click anywhere on the page and select "Inspect" from the menu.
In the Developer Tools panel that opens up, click on the "Application" tab.
In the left sidebar, expand the "Cookies" section. You‘ll see a list of domains that have set cookies on the current page.
- Click on a domain to view all the cookies set by that domain, along with details like the cookie name, value, expiration date, and whether it‘s secure (HTTPS) or HTTP only.
Open your WordPress site in Firefox, right-click anywhere on the page and select "Inspect Element".
Click on the "Storage" tab in the developer tools panel.
Expand the "Cookies" section in the left sidebar to view all domains that have set cookies on the page.
Click on a domain to see individual cookies and their details.
In the Safari menu, go to Preferences > Advanced and check the box next to "Show Develop menu in menu bar".
Open your WordPress site in Safari, then select "Develop" from the menu bar.
In the dropdown menu, go to "Show Web Inspector" > "Storage".
In the Web Inspector, navigate to the "Cookies" section in the left sidebar to view cookies by domain.
Using these browser tools is the most accurate way to see exactly which cookies your WordPress site is currently setting and the specific data they contain.
WordPress Plugins for Managing Cookie Usage
So you‘ve audited your WordPress site‘s cookies and found some that you‘d like to get rid of or better control access to. Don‘t worry, there are plugins for that! Here are some of the most popular and well-regarded cookie management plugins:
GDPR Cookie Consent: This free plugin makes it easy to display a cookie consent notice on your site, block scripts that set cookies until consent is given, and provide a detailed cookie policy. It also integrates with popular plugins like Contact Form 7 and WooCommerce.
Cookiebot: Cookiebot is a paid cookie consent management platform with a WordPress plugin for easy integration. It scans your site to detect all cookies and generates a cookie policy, consent banner, and preference center where users can opt in or out of specific cookie categories.
Complianz: Another comprehensive cookie compliance plugin, Complianz offers a user-friendly setup wizard, cookie consent banner, customizable cookie policy, and integrations with popular WordPress plugins and services.
In addition to these dedicated cookie plugins, many popular WordPress plugins offer settings and features to help with cookie compliance:
MonsterInsights, a popular Google Analytics plugin, has an "EU Compliance" addon that anonymizes IP addresses, disables the Demographics and Interests reports, and integrates with cookie notice plugins.
WooCommerce has a built-in cookie management screen where you can view and block certain cookies used by the plugin and associated services.
Jetpack, a multi-purpose plugin from WordPress.com, offers a Cookie and Consent Widget that displays a customizable cookie notice and links to your site‘s cookie policy.
To further minimize cookie usage on your WordPress site, you can also:
Carefully review the cookie settings and privacy policies of any new plugins, themes, or third-party services before adding them to your site.
Use a content security policy (CSP) plugin like DynamicWP CSP to block cookies and other scripts from untrusted sources.
Provide clear opt-out instructions in your cookie notice and privacy policy for analytics and advertising cookies.
Consider implementing a paid consent management platform (CMP) to automate cookie consent collection and management across your site.
Complying with Cookie Laws in 2023
Now that you understand how to identify and control the cookies used by your WordPress site, let‘s talk about how to ensure your cookie practices are legally compliant.
In recent years, a number of laws and regulations have been introduced around the world to protect internet users‘ privacy and give them more control over their personal data, including cookies. The most well-known of these is the European Union‘s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which took effect in May 2018.
Under the GDPR, websites must obtain explicit, informed consent from users before setting any non-essential cookies (like those used for analytics or advertising). Consent must be freely given, specific, and unambiguous – meaning no pre-ticked checkboxes or implied consent. Websites must also provide a clear and easy way for users to withdraw their consent at any time.
Other notable cookie laws include:
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which gives California residents the right to know what personal data businesses collect about them, the right to delete that data, and the right to opt-out of its sale.
The UK‘s Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), which require websites to obtain prior consent for non-essential cookies and provide clear information about cookie usage.
Brazil‘s General Data Protection Law (LGPD), which is similar to the GDPR and requires websites to obtain user consent for cookie usage and other personal data processing.
Penalties for non-compliance with these laws can be severe. Under the GDPR, for example, websites can be fined up to €20 million or 4% of their annual global revenue (whichever is higher) for serious violations.
To ensure your WordPress site meets current cookie law requirements, follow these best practices:
Audit your site regularly to maintain an up-to-date list of all cookies and their purposes, using browser developer tools or a cookie scanning service.
Create a detailed cookie policy that explains what cookies your site uses, what data they collect, how long they‘re stored, and how users can opt out. Here‘s an example from the BBC website:
Source: BBC Cookie Policy
- Display a clear, non-intrusive cookie consent notice that allows users to accept or reject non-essential cookies by category (e.g. analytics, advertising, etc.). Here‘s an example from MailChimp:
Source: MailChimp website
Use a cookie management plugin or CMP to record and manage user consent choices, and ensure that non-consented cookies are not set on users‘ devices.
Provide a way for users to change their cookie preferences at any time, such as a link to a cookie settings page in your site footer.
Keep records of user consent, including what information was provided, how and when consent was obtained, and any changes to consent status.
Regularly review and update your cookie practices and policies to stay compliant with the latest laws and regulations in your target markets.
While cookie compliance may seem daunting at first, it‘s an important part of building trust with your website visitors and avoiding costly legal penalties. By using the right WordPress plugins and following best practices for transparency and user control, you can balance your site‘s functionality with respect for user privacy.
Wrapping Up
Phew, that was a lot of information! Let‘s recap the key takeaways:
- Cookies are small text files that websites save on users‘ devices to store information about their interactions with the site.
- WordPress sets some essential cookies by default for authentication and commenting, while plugins and third-party services may set additional cookies for analytics, advertising, personalization, and other purposes.
- You can view the specific cookies set by your WordPress site using built-in developer tools in browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
- To control cookie usage on your WordPress site, you can use plugins like GDPR Cookie Consent, Cookiebot, and Complianz, as well as settings in popular plugins like MonsterInsights and WooCommerce.
- To comply with cookie laws like the GDPR and CCPA, provide clear information about your site‘s cookie usage, obtain explicit user consent for non-essential cookies, and allow users to easily opt out or change their preferences.
- Keep your cookie practices and policies up to date to stay compliant with evolving laws and regulations.
Armed with this knowledge, you‘re well on your way to ensuring your WordPress site‘s cookie usage is both effective and compliant. Remember, the goal is not to eliminate cookies altogether, but to use them transparently and with respect for your users‘ privacy.
If you found this guide helpful, I encourage you to share it with your fellow WordPress site owners and developers. And if you have any questions or tips of your own to share, leave a comment below!
Here‘s to happy, compliant cookie munching!
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