Suggestions

Should there not be a notification on the site about "cookies"? - in accordance with the EU / UK "cookie" law .

There should be but there won't be. Initially I raised this matter in a post a few months ago. The post was rrd by Gru as I also posted how to stop the tracking. I e-mailed them a couple of weeks ago. The response was that the standard T&C were sufficient compliance (not so).

Despite the fact that EU & US web sites have had a clear year of notice on this (and for the most part have done nothing) the enforcement agency has decided to allow another 12 months for compliance and even then penalties are unlikely to amount more than a slap on the wrist. The minister responsible is Jeremy Hunt so work out for yourself how hard the slap may be lol.

The BBC has fully complied. UKGov has not.

Microsoft IE10beta blocks tracking by default. For other browsers Google themselves offer an opt out but you have to repeat the opt out for each browser and machine you use. Note that AdBlock does NOT stop tracking.

Disabling targetted advertising through tracking is likely to be very disruptive of web site revenues so the reluctance to do anything is hardly surprising. Would you double yr basic Gru sub for instance ?

It is next to impossible to disable tracking on mobile phones although they are covered by the same law and the dangers of tracking are somewhat higher. AFAIK the only method that works for sure is to install a custom version of WindowsMobile or Android. There is no such option for iOS.

The funding of all this is a murky area but you may be interested to know that Gru/BrightSolid tracked advertising is handled by Orange (Unamis) the same phone co who run Orange and t-mobile.

You would be amazed at the sort of profile is available using a mix of ad tracking, Tesco/Nectar store card etc etc ...

A lot of organisations have decided to offshore their customer backj end databases, especially to India. This includes the NHS and the new DWP database. Of course the databases in India are still covered by UK/EU data protection legislation.... People who believe in the security and integrity of IT in India also believe in the tooth fairy.

Not connected to India IT of course but are you aware of this ?
http://news.sky.com/home/business/article/16235203

Taking all of this together there is a lot more to get het up about than adoption searches.

:-S

In this last week virtually every site I have accessed has had a pop-up regarding cookies.

Funny but Genes is the only site so far not to inform me of their cookies policy.

Same old Same old Genes - total lack of any responsibility on their part.

Customer Service again do not think they have heard of it. :-P

If they have issued one at all, it´s probably on Facebook!!!

The pop-up about cookies is a red herring. It has been and remains legal to use cookies for various purposes of site management and no special agreement from the user is required for this - the cookie is stored on the user's computer only.

Many sites either misunderstand the new law or are applying fudge and mudge and getting users to agree to standard cookies (where no agreement is needed) and imply agreement to tracking cookies along with it. Typically they state that the site will not work normally without such agreement. This b-s- as the leg. does not affect local cookies. Any information stored on the remote server is already subject to privacy laws. The new leg. relates solely to ad tracking and third party cookies.

Most of the cookie pop-ups etc that I have seen do not explicitly mention tracking cookies which are passed to third parties.

As well as computers and smart phones the legislation covers smart tv receivers such as Sky+ Virgin V+ some Freeview boxes YouView, some satnavs etc etc.

Using Firefox disabling 3rd party cookies is ez
If you are using Firefox:
Tools | Options | Privacy
Accept cookies from sites
untick "accept third party cookies"
This used to be the Firefox default - they changed the default to opt in after legal threats in the US.

Google opt out is here
https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

Neither Bright Solid, GRu, Orange or Unamis offer an opt out at this time. Orange will offer a Google optout for wifi from Q4 2012.

Of course there are positives to opting in for tracking. Anybody who has used eBay can tell you how wonderful this is.

Regardless of how you set up yr browser some sites will ignore the rules and regs anyway. The only way to deal with these is by blocking them in yr firewall.