UK Tech News, the leading technology news platform for the United Kingdom, has released an updated Cookie Policy that provides an in-depth explanation of how the website uses cookies and other tracking technologies. The new policy, effective from 04 June 2025, is designed to give users complete transparency and control over their data privacy, aligning with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
What Are Cookies and Why Are They Used?
Cookies are small text files stored on a user’s browser when they visit a website. They serve various functions, from remembering user preferences and login status to tracking browsing behaviour for advertising purposes. The updated policy clarifies that these technologies are essential for the smooth operation of the website, but also acknowledges that they can raise privacy concerns. UK Tech News now categorises cookies into five distinct types: technical or functional, statistics, advertising, marketing/tracking, and social media. Each category requires different levels of consent, with strict rules on when cookies can be placed without explicit user permission.
Functional and Technical Cookies
Functional cookies are necessary for the website to function correctly. They store information such as user preferences, shopping cart contents, and language settings. According to the policy, these cookies can be placed without user consent, as they are integral to providing the requested service. Examples include cookies from CloudFlare, which help with content delivery and bot detection, and PHP and WordPress cookies that manage sessions and user interface settings.
Statistics and Analytics
Statistics cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Tools like Google Analytics and Snowplow collect aggregated data on page views, session duration, and user flows. This information helps UK Tech News improve the user experience and optimise content. The policy notes that these cookies require user consent before being placed. Google Analytics cookies such as '_ga' (which stores a unique user ID for two years) and '_gid' (which counts pageviews for one day) are among the most common.
Advertising and Marketing Cookies
Marketing cookies, including those from Criteo, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google Ads, are used to deliver personalised advertisements and measure campaign performance. These cookies track users across websites to build profiles and serve relevant ads. For example, the Facebook pixel stores a unique identifier for three months to track visits and conversions, while Criteo’s 'cto_bundle' cookie provides functions across pages for retargeting. The policy classifies these as tracking cookies and requires explicit opt-in consent from users.
Social Media Integration
UK Tech News integrates content from Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter). These social networks place cookies when users interact with embedded social posts or share buttons. The policy warns that these cookies can store and process data for personalised advertising, and that the companies are based in the United States, meaning data transfers are subject to Standard Contractual Clauses to ensure adequate protection.
Consent Management and User Rights
Upon first visiting the website, users are presented with a pop-up banner that allows them to choose which categories of cookies they accept. The consent mechanism is powered by Complianz, a cookie consent management tool that stores the user’s preferences for 365 days. The policy also details the use of the Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) to manage vendor consents and legitimate interests. Users can change their settings at any time via the website’s manage consent button, though the policy notes that disabling all cookies may affect site functionality.
Beyond cookie management, the policy reiterates users’ rights under the UK GDPR: the right to access personal data, the right to rectification, the right to erasure, the right to restrict processing, the right to data portability, and the right to object to processing. UK Tech News encourages users to contact them via email (mydata@ex.comwearemvi.com) or phone (0208 150 8286) to exercise these rights.
Detailed Breakdown of Cookies Used
The policy provides a comprehensive list of all cookies placed on the website, including those from third-party services. For instance, Google reCAPTCHA is used for spam prevention and places functional and marketing cookies. HubSpot cookies handle marketing automation, storing session information and visitor identity. Hotjar provides heat maps and screen recordings with both functional and statistical cookies. Stripe is used for payment processing and stores fraud prevention cookies. The list also includes less common services like OneSignal for push notifications and Elementor for content creation.
Compliance and Legal Background
The updated Cookie Policy reflects the UK’s post-Brexit data protection landscape, which largely mirrors the EU GDPR but has its own nuances. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) enforces these rules, and the policy states that users have the right to lodge a complaint with the ICO if they believe their data has been mishandled. The policy was synchronised with cookiedatabase.org, a public database of cookie descriptions, to ensure accuracy and transparency.
What This Means for Users
For the average reader of UK Tech News, the revised Cookie Policy means greater clarity about what data is collected and how it is used. The granular consent options allow users to tailor their privacy settings, while the detailed list of cookies makes it easy to identify which services are tracking them. The policy also includes a section on vendors, listing all partners with whom data is shared and allowing users to withdraw consent for specific purposes such as statistics and marketing.
UK Tech News has positioned itself as a responsible steward of user data by providing this level of detail. In an era where data privacy concerns are at an all-time high, such transparency builds trust with the audience. The policy’s emphasis on user rights and its adherence to legal standards set a benchmark for other tech news outlets to follow.
Source: UKTN News