In the previous post, I was (honestly, ranting) explaining about the difficulties of installing a cookie consent widget into Google Blogger. I've learned a lot about how to do it, but the more I learn, the more it seems there IS to learn.
The solutions I've tried so far haven't worked. But even minor progress is still progress, and I'm still trying to figure it out. Yesterday, a good friend (Thanks, Eugene!) gave me the most amazing suggestion... ChatGPT.
I'd never heard of it. If you haven't either, it's an AI that you can freely talk with (like talking with someone on a forum, but more polite). Ask questions, and in a reasonably natural writing style, it will do its best to answer. It felt like I was talking to a very smart, and very polite, person. The suggestions it offered seemed useful and well-thought out. If you're curious, below is a transcript of the conversation we had:
I asked, very specifically, how to add a cookie consent widget to my Google Blogger website. Here's the result. (My comments are bolded to make it easier to follow)
"There are a few steps you can follow to add a cookie consent widget to your Google Blogger website:
1. Choose a cookie consent widget: There are several options available, both free and paid, that you can use. Some popular ones are Cookie Consent by Insites, CookieHub, and Cookie Notice.
2. Copy the code: Once you have chosen your cookie consent widget, copy the code provided by the service. The code should contain JavaScript and HTML.
3. Add the code to your Blogger website: To add the code to your Blogger website, go to your Blogger dashboard, click on the "Theme" section, and then click on the "Edit HTML" button.
4. Paste the code: Scroll down to the bottom of the HTML code and paste the cookie consent code just before the </body> tag.
5. Save the changes: After pasting the code, click on the "Save theme" button to apply the changes to your Blogger website.
6. Test your website: Finally, test your website to ensure the cookie consent widget is working as expected. You should see a banner or popup asking for user consent to use cookies.
That's it! You have successfully added a cookie consent widget to your Google Blogger website.
Yes but how do I test my website?
To test your website and see if the cookie consent widget is working correctly, simply go to your website in a web browser and see if the cookie consent banner or popup appears. You should see a request for user consent to use cookies.
If you've set the widget to block cookies until consent is given, you can check if cookies are being blocked by using the browser's developer tools. To do this, you can follow these steps:
1. Right-click anywhere on the webpage and select "Inspect" or "Inspect Element".
2. Go to the "Application" or "Storage" tab in the developer tools.
3. Look for the "Cookies" section and check if any cookies are being set on your website. If the cookie consent widget is working correctly, you should see that no cookies are being set until the user gives their consent.
If you encounter any issues with the cookie consent widget or if it's not working as expected, you can reach out to the support team of the cookie consent widget you're using for further assistance.
Does it matter if I'm in America
It depends on where your website visitors are located. If you have a significant number of visitors from the European Union (EU), then it's important to comply with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which requires website owners to obtain user consent for the use of cookies and similar technologies.
If you have a significant number of visitors from the United States, it's important to be aware of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which requires website owners to provide certain information to California residents about the collection, use, and sharing of their personal information.
In any case, it's always a good idea to be transparent about your use of cookies and to obtain user consent, regardless of where your website visitors are located. This helps build trust with your users and ensures that you are complying with relevant privacy laws and regulations.
How do I test cookie consent in the European Union if I'm in America
If you're in the United States and you want to test your website's cookie consent mechanism to ensure compliance with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you can use a virtual private network (VPN) to simulate a location within the EU.
Here's how you can do it:
1. Download and install a VPN service: There are several VPN services available, both free and paid. Choose one that has servers located within the EU.
2. Connect to an EU server: Once you've installed the VPN service, connect to a server located within the EU.
3. Visit your website: Once you're connected to an EU server, visit your website in a web browser. You should see the cookie consent banner or popup appear.
4. Test the cookie consent mechanism: Check if the cookie consent mechanism is working as expected. You should see that cookies are being blocked until the user gives their consent.
5. Disable the VPN: Once you're done testing, disable the VPN to return to your normal internet connection.
This will allow you to test your website's cookie consent mechanism from a simulated EU location, which can help you ensure that it's compliant with the GDPR and other privacy regulations.
Is there a simple privacy and cookie policy I can use for my blog on Google Blogger?
Yes, you can use a simple privacy and cookie policy for your Google Blogger blog. Here is an example template that you can use as a starting point:
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Privacy Policy
[Your Company Name] is committed to protecting the privacy of our users. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and disclose personal information through our website [Your Website URL].
Information Collection and Use
We may collect personal information, such as your name, email address, and other contact information, when you voluntarily provide it to us through our website. This information is used to provide you with the services you have requested, respond to your inquiries, and improve our website.
We may also use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your use of our website, such as the pages you visit, the links you click, and other actions you take on our site. This information is used to understand how our website is being used and to improve the user experience.
Information Sharing and Disclosure
We do not share, sell, or rent personal information to third parties unless required by law.
Cookies
Our website uses cookies to improve the user experience and to understand how our site is being used. By using our website, you consent to our use of cookies in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our information practices. If we make any material changes, we will notify you by email or by means of a notice on our website prior to the change becoming effective.
Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at [Your Contact Information].
This is just an example, and you may need to modify it to fit the specific needs of your blog and your audience. You should also consult with a legal professional to ensure that your privacy policy is compliant with all applicable laws and regulations.
Can you change it to include Google Adsense cookies?
Sure, here's an updated example template that includes information about Google AdSense cookies:
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Privacy Policy
[Your Company Name] is committed to protecting the privacy of our users. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and disclose personal information through our website [Your Website URL].
Information Collection and Use
We may collect personal information, such as your name, email address, and other contact information, when you voluntarily provide it to us through our website. This information is used to provide you with the services you have requested, respond to your inquiries, and improve our website.
We may also use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your use of our website, such as the pages you visit, the links you click, and other actions you take on our site. This information is used to understand how our website is being used and to improve the user experience.
We use Google AdSense to display ads on our website. Google AdSense uses cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website or other websites. You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting the Google Ads Settings page.
Information Sharing and Disclosure
We do not share, sell, or rent personal information to third parties unless required by law.
Cookies
Our website uses cookies to improve the user experience and to understand how our site is being used. By using our website, you consent to our use of cookies in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our information practices. If we make any material changes, we will notify you by email or by means of a notice on our website prior to the change becoming effective.
Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at [Your Contact Information].
This is just an example, and you may need to modify it to fit the specific needs of your blog and your audience. You should also consult with a legal professional to ensure that your privacy policy is compliant with all applicable laws and regulations.
Thank you, that was a lot of help.
You're welcome! I'm glad I could help. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask."
That was the end of the transcript. I felt obligated to give a polite farewell, and ChatGPT replied accordingly. To me, this was all good advice. I spent most of today following much of the advice, and also in setting up Grace Notes to have the requisite pages. It's been a long day. Hopefully tomorrow I'll see how helpful the initial advice was.
One thing that made me feel positive was the sites recommended. Cookie Consent by Insites, CookieHub, and Cookie Notice are all brand new to me. Out of all the sites I went to, I haven't heard of any of these three. Maybe that means I searched the wrong ones. Maybe the fact that these are "popular" means they'll actually work. I'll update this when I know.
(Quick follow-up. In short, it's done, and everything works now. The advice wasn't a step by step procedure, but gave me enough information to figure it out from there.)
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