Legal framework for web tracking

European data protection law serves as “the gold standard” for many jurisdictions around the world. If you are operating in the EU market, two legislative acts have a direct impact on your web analytics and digital marketing – the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive. Understanding them will help you align your online strategy along the requirements of European data protection law and minimize legal risks for your business.  

There are essentially two legal layers that you need to consider when conducting web tracking for your website: 

• the requirements of the ePrivacy Directive for the access and storage of information on the end user device through the use of cookies and other web trackers, and
• the standard of the GDPR to define the legal basis for collection, storage and processing of personal data.