Aloha Browser Offers Open Standard to Eliminate 'Annoying Cookie Banners' While Protecting User Privacy

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, September 4, 2024 (Newswire.com) - Today privacy-first Aloha Browser sent an open letter to the World Wide Web Consortium, rallying industry leaders to eliminate “annoying cookie banners” while protecting user privacy. The goal of the initiative is to create a new industry standard that gives users more control over their data and simplifies cookie consent management. The company proposed a groundbreaking “one and done” solution to address the GDPR cookie consent shortcomings: move cookie consent management from individual websites to the browser level. The specification for Aloha’s solution, alongside an example of its implementation, is open sourced in Aloha’s public GitHub repository.

In brief: 

• Although GDPR cookie consent forms were designed to protect people’s privacy, nearly 70% of users either ignore cookie banners or close them (Cookie Behavior Study conducted in 2024 by Advance Metrics Analysis).
• To eliminate annoying cookie banners, enhance people’s privacy, and give users more control over their data, Aloha Browser takes a new, groundbreaking approach, that moves cookie consent management from the website to the browser level. 
• This new, “one and done,” approach allows users to set cookie preferences just once, at the browser level, then they are automatically applied to every website visited. 
• It will enhance the effectiveness of current consent management practices while ensuring compliance with GDPR and other privacy regulations.
• Aloha aims to create a new industry standard by opening up its technology and collaborating with industry players.  The company sent the letter to W3C Privacy Group, inviting industry leaders to unite forces in building a more private, user-friendly internet for everyone.

According to the Advance Metrics Analysis, nearly 70 percent of consumers either close or disregard the cookie banner entirely, resulting in data collection vulnerability. It happens because the banners often disrupt the user's browsing experience. Despite efforts from regulators, the option to "Reject All" cookies is often hidden or requires significant effort to find and select. According to Aloha’s estimate, the average internet user wastes 32 hours per year clicking away cookie pop-ups—which equates to 760 lifetimes per day when multiplied by the number of total internet users. In response, many users resort to ad-blockers, which remove these prompts entirely but may still leave them vulnerable to unwanted data collection.

“We’re committed to protecting human privacy and saw an opportunity to make a huge impact by simply shifting cookie consent management to the browser level,” said Andrew Frost Moroz, Founder of Aloha Browser. “This simple shift gives users a consistent, easy-to-use interface to manage their privacy preferences across all websites. We also open-sourced our technical specification so that industry players can collaborate in building a more private, user-friendly internet for everyone.”

Aloha’s innovative approach enhances the effectiveness of current consent management practices, while maintaining compliance with GDPR and other privacy regulations.

“The current implementation of GDPR cookies consent management has created an ironic situation where attempts to protect privacy are, in fact, leading to more data collection, rather than less,” added Andrew Frost Moroz. “We cannot accept a situation where, instead of making conscious decisions about what data can be collected by a website, consumers, being overwhelmed by the frequency and complexity of cookie requests, choose the easiest and quickest path—either they ignore cookie banners or accept all cookies.”

Aloha’s GDPR Cookie Consent Management solution addresses this issue and provides a more user-centric and effective method for privacy management. It is designed to eliminate the constant barrage of cookie pop-ups by allowing users to set their cookie preferences just once, at the browser level. These preferences are then automatically applied to every website visited, eliminating the need for per-site cookie pop-ups. This unique approach reduces interruptions and ensures that user privacy decisions are meaningful and informed.

GDPR Cookie Consent Management Solution will be launched in Aloha Browser in the coming weeks. This feature offers global consent options, allowing users to "Allow all" cookies, "Reject all" cookies, create custom settings for different cookie categories, or customize cookie preferences for specific websites. The browser securely stores these consent preferences and implements a standardized API for websites to query the user's consent status. 

More about the GDPR Cookie Consent Management solution

Infographics and images that illustrate our approach are here.

[1] Cookie Behavior Study conducted in 2024 by Advance Metrics Analysis.

Source: Aloha Browser