{"id":321961,"date":"2025-11-27T18:38:47","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T18:38:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/som2nypost.com\/analytics\/the-new-era-of-cookie-walls-and-user-consent-cnils-e475m-enforcement-action-analytics-platform\/"},"modified":"2025-11-27T18:38:47","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T18:38:47","slug":"the-new-era-of-cookie-walls-and-user-consent-cnils-e475m-enforcement-action-analytics-platform","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/som2nypost.com\/?p=321961","title":{"rendered":"The new era of cookie walls and user consent: CNIL\u2019s \u20ac475M enforcement action – Analytics Platform"},"content":{"rendered":"


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With the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) recently\u00a0hitting Google and Shein with fines totalling \u20ac475M<\/a>, it\u2019s clear we\u2019re long past the prospective guidance phase and well into active enforcement.<\/p>\n

Regulators are stepping up enforcement against non-compliant tracking and targeting, while paying closer attention to consent UX, tracking behaviours, and banner design.<\/p>\n

These latest actions reflect a growing trend: regulators in multiple jurisdictions are treating consent UX and tracking behaviour as compliance-critical. Even outside the EU, digital teams should monitor evolving standards.<\/p>\n

CNIL Enforcement Highlights<\/h3>\n

Both fines fell under Article 82 of the French Data Protection Act, which transposes the ePrivacy Directive into French law and dictates consent requirements for non-essential cookies and other tracking technologies. Separately, Google was also fined under\u00a0Article L.34-5 of the French Postal and Electronic Communications Code<\/span>\u00a0for placing advertising messages in forms or emails in inboxes without consent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Google:\u00a0<\/span>Fined \u20ac325M<\/span><\/a>\u00a0for cookie consent violations<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Shein: Fined \u20ac150M for deceptive cookie practices<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Placed tracking cookies without valid consent<\/p>\n

Nudged users to accept cookies linked to personalised ads<\/p>\n

\u201cReject\u201d was harder to access than \u201cAccept\u201d<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Cookies placed without consent<\/p>\n

Nudged users into accepting cookies with dark patterns<\/p>\n

Insufficient information about cookies and inadequate refusal mechanisms<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The CNIL\u2019s message is clear: Before any non-essential tracking begins, valid consent must be freely given, clearly presented, technically enforced and withdrawal must be as easy as consent and effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83c\udf0f Global implications<\/p>\n

While these rulings are specific to tracking French visitors, they\u2019re aligned with the approach taken to non-essential tracking under GDPR and ePrivacy. Businesses should assume that consent UX and tracking practices will face increasing scrutiny across the EU\u2014especially in jurisdictions with stricter interpretations or limited exemptions for non-essential tracking.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Designing consent for trust, not just compliance<\/h2>\n

Even if your cookie banner looks compliant, many sites still allow tracking scripts to load before consent. Whether it\u2019s a faulty tag manager or a misconfigured CMP doesn\u2019t matter; either way, it\u2019s a risk.<\/p>\n

The focus isn\u2019t only on\u00a0whether\u00a0<\/em>a cookie banner appears, but what\u2019s happening\u00a0before\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0behind\u00a0<\/em>it. Regulators are scrutinising:<\/p>\n