Cookie Bar for WHMCS in line with EU Cookie Law Regulation

European Cookie Law

The EU Cookie Legislation or Cookie Law is intended to protect privacy online. It requires website owners to comply with the following rules:

• Notify visitors that your website uses cookies
• Provide information regarding how cookie data is used
• Allow visitors to accept or refuse your cookie policy

As every website, WHMCS uses cookies. Understanding what you are required to do is important especially because if you don't comply, you could face criminal charges and very high fines!

Pro tip: force WHMCS clients to accept changes to TOS.

What is a Cookie?

A cookie is nothing more than a small file that your server stores on user's computer. It allows you to remain logged and keeps the items you add to your shopping cart. Such cookies are essential for the proper functioning of WHMCS.

Here's the twist. Essential cookies don't need consent. In this case you don't need to worry about regulations but before you close this page and consider yourself rightful, keep reading just a few lines.

It's very likely that you use tools like Google Analytics, social media plugins ("share" and "like" buttons). Or maybe you have embedded some YouTube videos. They all use cookies that fall into the "not strictly necessary" category.

All cookies that are not "strictly necessary" require user's consent therefore you have to comply with EU cookie law.

As a side note, EU regulation doesn't restrict the use of this technology. It doesn't even explicitly name cookies. In fact, there are plenty of ways to store information to user's computer like for example:

• Local Storage
• IndexedDB
• Web SQL

The thing is that cookies are the most used technology, which is why the regulation is commonly known as cookie law.

Does Cookie Law Affect WHMCS?

The table below summarizes whether or not you have to comply with regulation if you are from Europe. Speaking of Europe, you could be interested in our VIES Check for WHMCS.

This table is for extra-European entities.

If you are required to comply with regulations, you need to implement in WHMCS the so called cookie bar. Keep reading to learn more.

Cookie Bar for WHMCS

In Billing Extension we integrated a cookie bar that can be fully customized from WHMCS administration. It lets you notify visitors about cookies and how data is being used. Below you can see a preview (click to enlarge).

The position, colors and link to policy can be customized from Addons > Billing Extension > Settings > Cookie Bar.

There is an option that auto-accepts cookie policy when the visitor keeps browsing your site. Moreover you can also store consent for a given number of days to avoid showing the cookie bar too many times to visitors and customers.

You should avoid using colors to make the notification bar less visible as this would be against rules. Same goes for text and the URL that must point exactly to your cookie policy.