Nixon Digital

What is a consent management platform, and how does it work?

Since the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ePrivacy Guidelines, it has become important for businesses to obtain user consent for data processing. When it comes to collecting consent, there are two common solutions: cookie consent and consent and preference management platforms.

Both solutions are there to help businesses to manage consent, but they are different. In this blog we will explain the difference of these solutions.

What is Cookie Consent?

Cookie consent refers to the process of collecting user permission to store and access cookies on their devices. Cookies are small files that websites use to track behaviour and preferences of their users. Businesses must inform users about the use of cookies and need to have their consent before collecting data.

What is GDPR Consent?

GDPR consent is the permission that users have given businesses to process their data in agreement with GDPR. Businesses requires to be transparent about the data they want to collect, how they are going to use their data, and what the purposes of processing data is.

What is the Difference Between Cookie Consent and GDPR Consent?

Getting consent is part of being compliant, the GDPR also requires businesses to collect consent for other data processing activities that involves personal data. This also include direct marketing, automated decision-making, or data profiling.

Consent must be specific, easy to understand and voluntary. In addition, users must be able to withdraw their consent. Furthermore, businesses must be able to demonstrate how they are receiving consent and show that their users are aware of the processing of their data.

To comply, companies must have an effective consent management process. The first stap to compliant is implementing procedures to ensure that consent are handled properly. Consent Management Platform are here to automate and streamline these processes. This makes it not only easier to track cookie consent but also to manage consent across their whole website portfolio.

What is Consent and Preference Management Platform

Consent and Preference Management Platform (CPMP) help businesses to manage user consent and preference across different channels. CMP helps to collect, store, and manage consent, ensure compliance with privacy regulations, and provide a good user experience. CPMP allow businesses to manage and update consent and preference form their users. It can also integrate with other systems such as marketing automation platforms and CRM system to ensure that data is synchronized across all systems, so that consent can be managed in one place.

What are the functionalities of a CPMP?

  • Consent management: enables businesses to centralize, organize, and distribute notifications and consent across all channels.
  • Consent document: this keeps a complete and detailed record of all consents collected from individuals.
  • Privacy management: allows users to see all data collected about them, and for what purpose.
  • Single Source of truth: it provides a SSoT for all consent obtained and enables businesses to stop processing activities in a timely manner to ensure compliance with data protection regulations.
  • Demonstration of compliance: real-time visibility into the entire lifecycle of personal data, from consent to data deletion, enables businesses to consistently demonstrate compliance to everyone.
  • End-to-end automation: automates the process of collecting and managing all consents.

What is a Cookie Consent Platform

Cookie Consent Platform helps businesses to comply with cookie consent requirements. These platforms often provide features such as cookie banners, consent logs, and cookie categorization to help to inform users about what kind of cookies businesses are using. 

Additionally, Cookie Consent Platform allows users to customize the appearance of their consent. This improves user experience by enhancing transparency and trust on the site, respecting user privacy settings, and providing greater control over personal information. This improves the user experience by promoting transparency and trust on the website, respecting user privacy settings, and providing greater control over personal information. It also can report and keep a record of cookie consent so that businesses can demonstrate compliance with ePrivacy regulations and other data protection laws.

What are the functionalities of a CCP?

  • Cookie scanner: scans website cookies and creates an inventory of used cookies.
  • Cookie management: can manage website cookies, adding new cookies, deleting existing cookies and change settings.
  • Cookie consent log: records when a user gave consent to the use of cookies.
  • Geo-targeting: allows organizations to show a cookie banner to a user baser on their location.

What are the differences between CPM and Cookie Consent platform?

Both tools help businesses to comply with data protection regulations, but the purpose of the two platforms are different.

CCP is designed to collect and manage consent for the use of cookies by a website. For example, a pop-up or banner may appear on your website, notifying users of the use of cookies and asking for their permission to collect their data. The cookie consent platform is also used to personalize cookie messages, and to manage cookie settings.

Consent and preference management platform is a tool for managing user consent for various data processing activities, and not only cookies. It helps you to manage user consent for various purposes, document, and track consent, and includes all information collected about your user’s data.

It also increases user settings and compliance reporting capabilities. Consent management platforms manage user consent at scale and show compliance with privacy regulations, helping you to process large amounts of data.

How to Choose the Right Solution for You?

Consider your organization’s specific needs and the scale of data processing activities when choosing a solution. When Cookie consent is your primary concern, a cookie consent platform may be sufficient. However, if you want a solution that covers GDPR consent and other regulations, CPMP is probably the better choice.

For businesses to comply with privacy regulations, it is important to understand what the difference are between cookie consent and consent management platforms. By assessing your organization its needs and the scale of your data activities, you can choose the right solution to ensure compliance.