Cookies

[neit]

On 26 May European privacy laws come in to force in the UK which give people more control over what data websites gather about them.

The law which applies to how you use cookies and similar technologies for storing information on a user’s equipment such as their computer or mobile device is changing on 26 May 2011.

Does zen-cart store information on the user device, for persisent
shopping cart or logining etc...

[kobra]

To my knowledge cookies are only live for the session so no longer term storage

[kuroi]

As the UK-specific requirements haven't yet been published it's difficult to be absolutely definitive as to whether Zen Cart will comply.

However, since Zen Cart uses cookies only for managing session indexes and not for storing personal information, shopping cart information (which is explicitly excluded anyway from the underlying EU directive), or any form of tracking, it's difficult to see how it could not comply.

But you would have to check cookie usage for any add-ons that you're using. The vast majority don't go anywhere near them, but a small number do. And it's not yet clear how tracking mechanisms such as Google Analytics will be treated.

[neit]

OK, Thankyou
The two addons we currently use are image handler 2 and seo urls, which I believe should be fine.
We do use google analytics so I will keep an eye open for anything referring to that.

[schoolboy]

According to the ICO:

The only exception to this rule is if what you are doing is ‘strictly necessary’ for a service requested by the user. This exception is a narrow one but might apply, for example, to a cookie you use to ensure that when a user of your site has chosen the goods they wish to buy and clicks the ‘add to basket’ or ‘proceed to checkout’ button, your site ‘remembers’ what they chose on a previous page. You would not need to get consent for this type of activity.

This exception needs to be interpreted quite narrowly because the use of the phrase “strictly necessary” means its application has to be limited to a small range of activities and because your use of the cookie must be related to the service requested by the user. Indeed, the relevant recital in the Directive on which these Regulations are based refers to services “explicitly requested” by the user. As a result our interpretation of this exception therefore has to bear in mind the narrowing effect of the word “explicitly”. The exception would not apply, for example, just because you have decided that your website is more attractive if you remember users’ preferences or if you decide to use a cookie to collect statistical information about the use of your website.

It is therefore my understanding that ZC's session cookie fits in with the definition of "strictly necessary"

Go HERE for the full document