Cookie Policy Generator | Free Legal Document Generator

What Is a Cookie Policy and Who Needs One?

A cookie policy is a legal document that explains to your website visitors what cookies your site uses, why you use them, and how visitors can control or delete them. Cookies are small text files that websites store on a user's device to remember preferences, track behaviour, and enable third-party services like Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel. Because cookies often involve the processing of personal data, most privacy laws around the world now require websites to inform users about their use and obtain their consent before setting non-essential cookies.

If your website uses Google Analytics, advertising scripts, social media plugins, or any session-based login system, you are almost certainly setting cookies and legally required to have a cookie policy. This applies whether you run a small blog, a SaaS platform, or a large e-commerce store.

The EU Cookie Law and GDPR: What You Need to Know

The EU's ePrivacy Directive, commonly called the "Cookie Law," requires websites targeting European users to obtain prior informed consent before placing non-essential cookies on a user's device. The GDPR further strengthened these requirements by mandating that consent must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous. Pre-ticked boxes and implied consent are no longer valid. Users must take a clear affirmative action to accept non-essential cookies.

Your cookie policy must explain the categories of cookies you use (strictly necessary, functional, analytics, and advertising), name the specific third parties setting those cookies, and explain how users can withdraw their consent at any time.

Categories of Cookies You Must Disclose

• Strictly Necessary Cookies: These are essential for the website to function and cannot be disabled. They include session cookies, authentication tokens, and shopping cart data.
• Functional Cookies: These remember user preferences, such as language settings or display preferences. Consent is generally required.
• Analytics Cookies: Services like Google Analytics use these to track page views, session duration, and traffic sources. Consent is required under GDPR.
• Marketing and Advertising Cookies: These track users across websites for targeted advertising. They require explicit consent and are the most heavily regulated category.

Cookie Policy vs Privacy Policy: Do You Need Both?

Yes. A privacy policy covers all forms of personal data collection across your site, while a cookie policy focuses specifically on the cookies you set. Many websites include a cookie section within their privacy policy, which is acceptable in many jurisdictions. However, for GDPR compliance, your cookie policy must be immediately accessible from your cookie consent banner, which is why publishing it as a standalone page is the preferred approach. ClauseKit lets you generate both documents independently.