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FORNY20-FORNY2020

STUD: Cookie Switch AS Cookie Management Tool

Alternative title: STUD: Cookie Switch AS Verktøy for administrasjon av informasjonskapsler

Awarded: NOK 0.88 mill.

Project Manager:

Project Number:

327400

Project Period:

2021 - 2022

Funding received from:

Location:

Cookie Switch enables businesses to become compliant with the EU Privacy and Data Protection laws that regulate the use of cookies on their website. It does so by empowering anyone to easily create a legally compliant and ethical cookie banner, while at the same time not compromising on website visitors ability to make an informed decision on what cookies and similar tracking technologies they consent to. The STUD-ENT grant was pivotal for developing the Cookie Management Platform which helps business to: 1) identify cookies and similar technologies used by their websites; 2) quickly generate a legally compliant, ethical and customizable cookie banner and 3) publish a cookie banner that will only allow cookies to which a website visitor agrees to. Moreover, the platform is designed for users without any technical and legal expertise in order to ease and democratize compliance with laws. The goal of the project was to remove the current problem which is that small to medium businesses without programing and legal expertise cannot make their website compliant with EU privacy and data protection laws without hiring consultants, being experts themselves in law and technology or using existing expensive solutions that might not ensure compliance with relevant laws. In addition, the goal was also to create a platform that will allow for creation of exclusively ethical by design cookie banners that give website visitors equal opportunity to either accept or decline cookies without being nudged and pressured by «dark patterns» and «cookie walls» as it is today. During the project duration the team has achieved all set milestones. The first was to develop an innovative cookie bot solution that scan website for cookies and delivers reports on used cookies by category (essential, functional, analytics, marketing). The second was the creation of ethical by design and legally compliant customizable cookie banners that facilitate website owners compliance with privacy laws. The third milestone was to develop a website where individuals can test their website for cookies free of charge, learn what cookies they use and if they need a cookie banner or not. The forth milestone was to develop a cookie management platform that will enable users to create an ethical cookie banner and manage cookies. The fifth and final milestone was the product launch and making it available to the broader audience. Thanks to the STUD-ENT grant we were able to develop a platform that serves interests of both its customers and end-users.

The STUD-ENT grant has enabled the development of a cookie management platform that has the following features. (i) An advanced cookie scanner that is made available for free to anyone to scan their website and learn what cookies their website is using and whether they need a cookie banner. (ii) a platform that enables anyone regardless of their legal and technical knowledge to manage cookies and create legally compliant and ethical by design cookie banners that are free from "dark patterns". (iii) creation of cookie banners with built in privacy preserving features that enable any business with a website to engage in cookie practices that are compliant with the EU cookie laws. (iv) make the platform available for free to all EEA based academic and research institutions in order to help them become compliant with the EU cookie laws. (v) create a platform that serves data protection interest of both customers and end-users.

Funding scheme:

FORNY20-FORNY2020