It’s not just your imagination - websites have gotten way more in-your-face about asking if you want to accept cookies from their websites. And there’s a reason for it, though it’s more about lawyers than logic.
Here’s the deal in plain English:
👉 Blame Europe. The EU passed a law called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018. It requires websites to get explicit consent before tracking users with cookies - those little data packets that remember your preferences, login info, or let advertisers stalk you across the internet.
👉 Even though it's an EU law, many U.S. websites follow it anyway because they don’t want to risk fines for showing their site to someone in Europe. It’s easier to just throw the cookie banner at everyone.
👉 On top of that, California passed its own privacy law (CCPA), and other states are following suit. So now, companies are covering their butts everywhere by asking everyone.
And since some sites want to be extra safe - or just cover ad revenue bases - they throw the cookie message at you every time, especially if you haven’t allowed long-term storage of your preferences.
A cookie is a small piece of data that a website stores on your device to remember things like your login, preferences, or what’s in your shopping cart. Some are helpful, but others track your activity for ads - which is why privacy laws now require sites to ask for your permission.
Want fewer pop-ups? Try using a browser extension like Consent-O-Matic or I Don’t Care About Cookies. They'll auto-click those banners for you.
Until then… welcome to the digital age, where "accepting cookies" is now a daily ritual - like brushing your teeth, but for your data.
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