Cookies
Cookies are small files that the owner of a website or app places on your device, such as a computer, smartphone or tablet. This is done when you visit a website or use an app.
On this page
Some cookies are necessary to make a website or an app work properly (functional cookies). Cookies enable the owner of the website or app or third parties involved to collect and store information about your visit, or about you as a visitor. For example, what your interests are, how healthy you are, and for which political party you vote.
Do you not give consent for placing cookies? Then you can still use most websites and apps normally.
Types of cookies
There are 3 types of cookies:
- functional cookies;
- limited analytics cookies;
- other cookies.
Functional cookies
Functional cookies ensure that a website or an app works properly. They remember, for example, your login details, language preferences and products in your shopping basket.
Consent
An owner of a website or an app does not need your consent for placing functional cookies. The owner has to tell you, though, that the cookies are placed. You can find this information, for example, in the privacy statement of the website or app.
Limited analytics cookies
Limited analytics cookies collect information about the visit to a website or an app, such as the number of visitors and the most visited pages. This information helps owners of a website or an app improve it. These cookies should not have a significant impact on your privacy.
Consent
Do limited analytics cookies have no or little impact on your privacy? In that case, a website owner does not need your permission to place these cookies. This is stated in the Telecommunications Act (Article 11.7a).
Do limited analytics cookies process your personal data? Note that the owner of the website needs a legal basis to process personal data. The use of this type of cookies must also be mentioned in the privacy statement of the website or app.
Other cookies
Other cookies are cookies that fall outside the above categories. Often, these cookies also process personal data. A well-known example of other cookies are tracking cookies.
Tracking cookies track your internet behaviour. Tracking cookies collect data on how you use a website or an app. Such as what you click on, how long you visit certain pages, and what subjects you are interested in. This does not only happen on one website, but also on other websites and apps that you visit and use. Tracking cookies can therefore track you across several websites and apps.
By mapping out your behaviour across several websites and apps, tracking cookies can make profiles of you. About your interests, political preference and family situation, for example. Advertising companies use this information to show you targeted advertisements. Often, these activities involve processing of your personal data.
For more information about tracking cookies and the rules for their use, see the page on Tracking cookies.
Consent
Other cookies, such as tracking cookies, have consequences for your privacy. That is why you have to give the website or app consent for placing this type of cookies. The website or app must also tell you clearly which information is collected, how this is done, and what happens with the information. Read more about this on the page Privacy risks of cookies.
Let op: tekst gewijzigd (april 2025)
De AP heeft de tekst over toestemming bij beperkt analytische cookies aangepast. Deze aanpassing is in lijn met de Telecommunicatiewet. Lees meer bij Wijzigingen op deze website.
Hebben beperkt analytische cookies geen of geringe gevolgen voor uw privacy? Dan heeft een eigenaar van een website uw toestemming niet nodig om deze cookies te plaatsen. Dat staat in de Telecommunicatiewet (artikel 11.7a).
Verwerken beperkt analytische cookies uw persoonsgegevens? Hiervoor heeft de eigenaar van de website een grondslag nodig. Ook moet het gebruik van dit type cookies in de privacyverklaring van de website of app staan.
Overige cookies
Overige cookies zijn cookies die niet in bovenstaande categorieën passen. Vaak verwerken deze cookies ook persoonsgegevens. Een bekend voorbeeld van overige cookies zijn tracking cookies.
Tracking cookies volgen uw internetgedrag. Tracking cookies verzamelen gegevens over hoe u een website of app gebruikt. Zoals waarop u klikt, hoe lang u pagina’s bezoekt en wat voor onderwerpen u interessant vindt. Dit gebeurt niet alleen op 1 website, maar ook op andere websites en apps die u bezoekt en gebruikt. Tracking cookies kunnen u dus over meerdere websites en apps volgen.
Door uw gedrag over meerdere websites en apps in kaart te brengen, kunnen tracking cookies profielen van u maken. Bijvoorbeeld over uw interesses, politieke voorkeur en gezinssituatie. Advertentiebedrijven gebruiken deze informatie om u gerichte advertenties te tonen. Vaak worden hierbij uw persoonsgegevens verwerkt.
Voor meer informatie over tracking cookies en de regels voor het gebruik daarvan, zie de pagina Tracking cookies.
Toestemming
Tracking cookies hebben gevolgen voor uw privacy. Daarom moet u de website of app toestemming geven voor het plaatsen van dit soort cookies. De website of app moet u ook duidelijk informeren over de verwerking van persoonsgegevens en het doel van de verwerking, hoe dat in zijn werk gaat en wat er met de informatie gebeurt. Lees verder op de pagina Privacyrisico’s en het beschermen van uw privacy bij cookies.
Quick answers
When are organisations allowed to place tracking cookies on my computer?
An organisation is only allowed to place tracking cookies on your device (such as your computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet) if you have been informed about this. And you have given your consent for placing such cookies.
The organisation that wants to place tracking cookies must give advance information about:
- which cookies are used;
- who processes your personal data;
- what personal data of yours are processed and what the purpose of processing is;
- the right to withdraw your consent.
The information about cookies must be displayed before you give or refuse to give consent for placing cookies.
It is not enough if the organisation merely refers to, for example, the general terms and conditions or a privacy statement.
No valid consent
There is no valid consent in the following examples:
- Websites that assume your consent if you continue using the site (keep scrolling or swiping) after an information banner r has been displayed. For example, this information bar contains text such as: "By continuing to use this website, you agree to the placing of tracking cookies". However, scrolling or swiping is not an active, conscious choice. This consent is therefore invalid.
- If you as a visitor remain passive, it should not be construed as consent. For example, if you have not explicitly refused tracking cookies via your browser.
- Some websites tick all cookie categories by default at a deeper layer of the cookie banner. That is not allowed.
- When presented with a cookie wall, where refusing cookies means you cannot access the website or use the website normally.
Is a website or an app allowed to refuse me access if I do not accept tracking cookies?
No. You must be able to use the website or the app normally, even if you do not give consent for placing (tracking) cookies.
When presented with a cookie wall, you will be denied access to the website or app if you refuse tracking cookies. Refusing tracking cookies will have negative consequences for you. That is why these type of cookie walls are prohibited under the GDPR.
Where can I turn to if I have a question or complaint about cookies?
Do you have questions about cookies on a specific website or app? Contact the owner of the website or app first. Are the cookies placed by a third party? Then you can also contact this organisation. The owner of the website and the third party are obliged to give you information.
Do you have a complaint about cookies and how your personal data are processed? And does the website owner not respond? Or are you not satisfied with the response? Then you can submit a complaint to the Dutch DPA.
