Interesting reading, especially the comments below the post:

http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/9202-eu-cookie-law-three-approaches-to-compliance

What are our thoughts in how this is all going to pan out?Most of the suggestions in the comments section of the econsultancy post seem over prescriptive to me. I know you have to obey the law but whacking up massive overlays asking people to opt-in seems a bit overkill.

until we're forced, we'll happily make slow steady steps towards compliance so that we can show we're doing something, but won't be the first out the blocks.

I tend to agree with the guy who says that it'll be like ticking the T&Cs ... at some point people will agree by default rather than read anything.  What a mess.

I wish it was browser driven. I don't see why every website in the world should make changes.

good reason for it not to be browser driven is that a browser will make no attempt to persuade your visitors to accept your cookies. Most users won't say yes to analytics, media or affiliate cookies. The word will stop spinning (or insert your own panic stricken phrase there).

I suggest finding ways to get people to accept cookies where you can, rather than relying on the browsers ultimately applying some setting recommended by a paranoid journalist.

Other than that - just 1) do a cookie audit, 2) write down a plan with some reasonable looking timelines for removing or dealing with authorisation 3) tick along doing some things so if the ICO or anyone else knocks on your door you can prove your addressing it by immediate production of impressive bits of paper.

It probably will go away, but you don't want to be the one site outed by The Daily Whinge before it does.

QuoteMost users won't say yes to analytics, media or affiliate cookies.

There are ways round those too.  If we all stopped using GA, would the world be a worse place?

Users will get to know that cookies can be a good thing. Some will accept them all, some will refuse them all, and most in the middle will be confused.  Thats fine. 

Not looked, but has Google with their privacy policy change got this covered?  If you accept the terms, you accept google cookies for everything, inc Analytics?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/may/26/cookies-law-changed-implied-consent

Implied consent is OK.

And everyone involved ends up looking foolish

I don't want to say I told you so, but I pretty much called it a year ago.

http://jason.sh/cookie-laws-what-it-means-for-your-business-2011-05-09

> foolish

I have to say I am quite pleased they took the pragmatic view rather than caring about looking silly