PrivacyProof · Compliance guide

GDPR privacy & cookie consent: what it is, who it applies to & how to comply

GDPR + the cookie rules require a clear privacy policy, lawful opt-in for non-essential cookies, and a way for people to exercise their data rights. Check yours in 60 seconds.

In force EU rules

Does this apply to you?

This rule applies if you collect personal data from visitors in the EU or UK. Collect data from EU/UK visitors? Check your privacy policy, cookie consent, and data-rights handling. Not sure? The free checker tells you in about a minute — no signup.

What GDPR privacy & cookie consent requires

In practice, PrivacyProof's checker looks at whether you can answer "yes" to each of these. Each one is a place sellers commonly get caught:

What's at stake

⚠️ Exposure: up to €20M or 4% of global turnover (Art. 83). Status: In force.

Statutory maximums are worst-case ceilings, not a prediction — but they're why this is worth ten minutes now.

Common questions

Do I need a cookie consent banner?

If you serve EU/UK visitors and use any non-essential cookies (analytics, advertising), yes — they must load only after the visitor opts in, with a Reject option as easy as Accept.

What must a GDPR privacy policy include?

What data you collect, why, the lawful basis, who you share it with, how long you keep it, international transfers, and how to exercise data rights — in plain language, available at collection.

What are the GDPR fines?

Up to €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover, whichever is higher — plus regulator orders and reputational damage.

The source

RuleGoose checks this against the EU GDPR (Reg. (EU) 2016/679), UK GDPR + ePrivacy/cookie rules. Read it yourself: EUR-Lex — Regulation (EU) 2016/679 →

Check your GDPR privacy & cookie consent compliance — free.
Answer a few questions, see exactly where you're exposed, and draft the fix. No signup, runs in your browser. Run the PrivacyProof checker →

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Informational only, not legal advice, and not affiliated with the EU. Last reviewed 2026-06-28.