What Are Cookies?
We’re not talking about the chocolate-chip variety. Website cookies power personalization, analytics, and essential functionality across nearly every site you visit. And with new privacy laws rolling out nationwide, how your organization manages cookie consent matters if you want to avoid compliance gaps, legal risk, and a loss of user trust.
The Role of Website Cookies
Cookies store small pieces of information such as preferences, page views, and login activity that help websites function and personalize experiences. As privacy regulations expand, businesses must clearly disclose what data is being collected by website cookies, where it’s stored, and how it’s used.
New Privacy Regulations You Can’t Ignore
With states across the U.S. enacting stricter privacy laws, and GDPR continuing to influence global standards, cookie consent management is now a legal requirement for most websites. Organizations must accurately disclose, categorize, and control cookie behavior or risk fines, loss of trust, and operational issues.
Compliance That Evolves as Laws Change
From GDPR to CCPA, CPRA, and newly emerging regulations, cookie requirements grow more complex each year. FSM keeps your site compliant and transparent with an automatically updating system that adjusts to new cookie consent laws.
Understanding GDPR & Cookie Consent
Learn what’s changing — and how to stay compliant.
Watch our webinar as FSM President & CEO Andrew Husted breaks down GDPR, U.S. privacy regulations, and practical steps your organization can take to stay protected.
Why Cookie Consent Matters
Privacy expectations have shifted, and legislation is accelerating. These numbers show just how quickly compliance requirements are becoming a core part of doing business online.
68%
A full 68% of U.S. adults are concerned about how companies collect and use their data, making transparent cookie consent essential for building trust.
30+
More than 30 states are actively advancing privacy legislation that directly affects how organizations must handle cookies, disclosures, storage practices, and user opt-in controls.
42%
Roughly 42% of websites still fail basic cookie compliance tests, often due to missing notices, incorrect cookie categorization, or loading non-essential cookies before user consent.
1 in 4
One in four people online lives with a disability, making accessible cookie consent banners a critical requirement for compliance and inclusive user experience.
5-7x
Enforcement actions tied to cookie mismanagement have increased by 5–7x across GDPR-regulated regions, a pattern now emerging across newly regulated U.S. states as well.
Organizations that mishandle personal data can face penalties reaching into the millions, depending on the jurisdiction and severity of the violation.
FSM’s Smarter Approach to Cookie Consent
FSM’s cookie consent management platform handles everything: scanning your website for cookies, categorizing them, presenting user controls, and updating your notices as regulations evolve. Our services also integrate seamlessly with tools like Google Consent Mode for improved data accuracy.
Automated Cookie Scanning
We scan your website regularly to identify every cookie in use, including those added through plugins, analytics tools, or new marketing platforms. This ensures your consent banner always reflects accurate, up-to-date information.
User-Friendly Consent Controlls
Provide visitors with clear, accessible options for opting in or out of different cookie categories. Our system supports multilingual display, accessibility standards, and customizable branding to match your website.
Always-On Compliance
As privacy laws evolve, your cookie consent system updates automatically to reflect new requirements. Our ongoing oversight ensures your organization stays aligned with GDPR, state regulations, and emerging standards.