Cookie Banner Defaults 🍪

Isn't it ironic how the GDPR is meant to protect users' privacy rights and yet, all the average user does is blindly accept them, just to get rid of the annoying banner?

It's already a design flaw that it's the more prominent button of the two that lets you accept cookies, when actually it's not in your best interest. Additionally, for the longest time, rejecting cookies required (at least) one extra click. No wonder that many users made it their default to just always accept cookies. Instead of "Accept cookies" the label could say "Make the annoying banner go away". But equally could it say "Feel free to track me across the web".

Today, I suggest a new default: to always click the less prominent button. For your own benefit. Sometimes it does require that extra click, but I have noticed that over the last couple years, most cookie banners make it equally easy to reject cookies. Especially compared to 2018, when the GDPR was introduced. Your right to privacy matters. And you really don't want these cookies.

Happy International Data Protection Day, everyone! 💓