The lower house of the Dutch parliament has passed legislation requiring websites to get visitors permission before installing tracking cookies. The controversial legislation went through various versions before passing, from requiring permission for all cookies to mandating an opt-in only for third-party cookies that collect personal information or pass that information on to third parties. In the end all cookies will be subject to the Law on the Protection of Personal Information, meaning they can be questioned by the privacy regulator CBP and in court. The final version of the law passed implements EU privacy legislation, but goes further than proposals from the European Commission by requiring that website publishers have proof they have acquired the user's permission. The Dutch publishing industry mounted a campaign against the bill, saying it will make the internet unusable and sites such as the popular news portal Nu.nl could disappear. They said self-regulation was the only workable solution to manage cookies. The cookie rule was drafted by MPs from two political parties, the right-wing PVV and the labour party PvdA. The MPs say the original version was indeed too far-reaching, as it affected all cookies. However, tracking cookies that build up a general profile of a user must fall under a stricter policy, in line with regulations on collecting personal data. They said concessions were made at the industry's request, such as allowing for a general permission from the user, rather than the need for repeated requests from a site. The cookies rule is part of a larger revision of the Telecommunications Act. While the lower house approved the amendment, it must still vote on the larger text, which it is expected to pass a vote later in the week.
