In January, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) launched an aggressive enforcement initiative targeting cookie compliance across the top 1,000 websites in the country. This move is the clearest signal yet that regulators are no longer content with warning letters or passive education. They’re actively investigating — and naming — brands that fail to comply.
The age of “we’ll fix it later” is over.
For digital teams, this shift means one thing: your website’s data practices are no longer just a marketing or analytics issue — they’re a compliance liability.
At ObservePoint, we’ve been preparing customers for moments like these.
Cookie Compliance Isn’t Just a Banner Anymore
Too often, companies treat cookie consent like a front-end checkbox — design the banner, slap on a script, and assume the job is done.
But the real challenge lies under the hood.
Cookies — especially third-party marketing and analytics ones — are often loaded dynamically across different site environments, sometimes piggybacking on other tags without anyone realizing it. While Consent Management Platforms have built in cookie scanners, they usually can’t detect rogue tags or cookies that sneak through before consent is granted.
That’s where ObservePoint comes in.
ObservePoint provides the double-check you need to confirm your CMP is asking users for consent and delivering the right cookies based on their preferences. Not only that, ObservePoint’s cookie origin story provides the most detailed contextual and historical cookie information of any scanner: where the cookie is, how many times it shows up on your site, what changes were made to it, and what tech is loading it.
Scan. Monitor. Fix. Repeat.
ObservePoint’s automated web audits help teams detect and document exactly which cookies are firing across every page — and whether they’re aligned with your consent logic.
Our customers use our platform to:
- Run sitewide scans for unauthorized cookies or hidden trackers
- Validate consent management platforms (CMPs) are functioning correctly
- Spot pages where cookies are loading before user opt-in
- Monitor for changes and regressions with real-time alerts
This isn’t just about building trust with users — it’s about avoiding the regulatory spotlight now aimed at some of the UK’s most high-traffic websites.
Don’t Wait for the Regulator to Show Up
The ICO has already started issuing notices and opening investigations. If they’re scanning the top 1,000 sites today, they’ll be moving on to the next 10,000 tomorrow.
But the real question is: do you know what’s happening across your digital properties?
With ObservePoint, you don’t have to guess.
We help you move from reactive to proactive — scanning your site like a regulator would, flagging issues before they cost you public trust, legal fees, or brand damage.
Ready to See What We See?
We invite you to try a sample scan or book a guided demo. You’ll get an instant window into how your site’s cookies, tags, and trackers are behaving — and whether they’re putting you at risk.
