Google gives Europe a ‘reject all’ button for tracking cookies after fines from watchdogs

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

New options to reject tracking cookies in Europe are being introduced by the search engine.

The data protection agency of France fined the internet giant 150 million dollars for using confusing language in cookie banners. Previously, users were allowed to accept all tracking cookies with a single click, but they had to click through different menus to reject them all. It was against the law for users to be steered into accepting cookies in order to benefit from the advertising business.

Reject all, accept all, or more options are available to remedy this. If users are not signed in to an account, the new menu will appear. You can adjust tracking options through the data and privacy menu if you are signed in.

Image: Google

The launch in France has begun and will be extended to the rest of the European Economic Area, the UK and Switzerland.

Most internet users find the use of cookie banners confusing and frustrating. Giving people the option to reject or accept cookies was supposed to give them more control over their data, but as the example shows, this can depend on how these options are implemented. According to the European Center for Digital Rights, 90 percent of users click to accept all cookies, but only 3 percent actually want them. Changes like those implemented by Google could help shift the balance.