What we learned after scanning 143 large Dutch company homepages for privacy compliance
Privacy compliance is a critical responsibility for any organization, especially for the most visited and trusted companies. At Nixon Digital, we specialize in helping companies identify and address privacy risks through our tools and expertise. As part of our efforts, we conducted market research using Nixon Lite to assess the state of privacy compliance across major organizations in the Netherlands.
What is Nixon Lite?
Nixon Lite is our free tool that allows organizations to scan a single webpage or URL to identify privacy compliance risks. The tool generates a detailed report that flags issues like high-risk trackers, consent misconfigurations, and third-party domain overload. This one-time scan provides a snapshot of how well a website meets privacy regulations like GDPR.
For this research, we scanned the homepages of 143 of the largest companies in the Netherlands. These companies represent some of the most trusted and frequently visited organizations in the country. The results revealed two key findings that highlight widespread privacy challenges, even among market leaders.
Finding 1: 42.7% of homepages load high-risk trackers before consent
Our research found that 61 of the 143 websites scanned loaded high-risk trackers before user consent was given. These trackers included popular tools like Google Analytics, LinkedIn Ads, and Facebook Pixel, which collect user data as soon as a visitor lands on the page, even if they have not agreed to tracking.
Why this matters
High-risk trackers that load before consent directly violate GDPR requirements and other privacy regulations. These rules require that users provide clear and informed consent before their data is collected or processed.
Allowing trackers to operate without consent creates significant risks for companies, including potential fines, reputational damage, and loss of user trust. The fact that nearly half of the websites scanned failed this basic compliance requirement underscores the importance of proactive monitoring.
Finding 2: 18 companies failed to implement Google Consent Mode V2
Google Consent Mode V2 is an important tool for ensuring compliance when using Google services like Analytics and Ads. It allows websites to respect user consent preferences by adjusting how Google services behave based on whether consent is granted.
However, our research showed that 18 companies (12.6%) of the 143 scanned had not implemented Google Consent Mode V2. This means that user preferences for these services were left unaligned with privacy standards, creating a compliance gap.
Why this matters
These companies are not just ordinary websites. They represent some of the most visited, trusted, and influential organizations in the Netherlands. Without Google Consent Mode V2, these companies risk exposing user data unnecessarily and falling short of GDPR requirements.
For organizations that rely heavily on Google services, failing to implement Consent Mode V2 can have serious consequences. This tool is not just a technical feature: it is a necessary step for demonstrating respect for user privacy and regulatory compliance.
What these findings mean for organizations
Our research highlights a common theme: privacy compliance cannot be a one-time task. It requires continuous monitoring, regular updates, and proactive management to address the risks posed by high-risk trackers, unaligned user preferences, and misconfigured CMPs.
- High-risk trackers: These were present on nearly half of the websites scanned, exposing user data before consent.
- Google Consent Mode V2: Many organizations fail to implement this essential tool, leaving gaps in their privacy management.
- CMP misconfigurations: Even organizations with advanced consent tools are not immune to errors.
These findings serve as a reminder that even the largest and most trusted organizations need to take privacy compliance seriously.
How Nixon can help
At Nixon Digital, we offer solutions that help organizations identify and resolve privacy compliance issues at every stage:
- Nixon Lite is a free tool that provides a detailed, one-time scan of a single webpage or URL. It highlights high-risk trackers, misconfigurations, and other privacy risks, giving organizations an easy way to identify problems.
- The Nixon Platform takes compliance to the next level. It connects to all your websites and pages, runs regular scans, and provides real-time notifications when an issue arises. It also offers actionable insights and helps you assign tasks to the right teams to ensure problems are resolved quickly.
For organizations managing multiple websites, the Nixon Platform simplifies privacy compliance and helps you stay ahead of regulatory requirements.
Managing multiple websites? Book a demo to see how the Nixon Platform can help you streamline privacy compliance.
