The Justice and Construction Ministries have released a comprehensive document outlining detailed cookie consent and data processing policies for government websites. The joint paper addresses how official websites handle end device information and personal data, including IP addresses and browser information, establishing new standards for transparency in digital government services.
The ministerial document specifies that data processing serves multiple purposes across government platforms. These include integrating external content and third-party services, conducting statistical analysis and measurement activities, facilitating personalized advertising where applicable, and enabling social media integration. The comprehensive approach aims to standardize how government websites interact with users' digital information.
According to the new guidelines, depending on specific website functions, user data may be shared with up to 28 third-party entities for processing. However, the ministries emphasized that consent for such data sharing remains entirely voluntary and is not required for basic website usage. Users maintain the right to revoke their consent at any time through an easily accessible icon positioned at the bottom left of participating websites.
The policy framework details how cookies and similar online identifiers work in practice. These digital markers, including login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, and network-based identifiers, can be stored on users' devices alongside other information such as browser type, language preferences, screen size, and supported technologies. This data enables websites to recognize returning users each time they connect to applications or web services.
Content performance measurement represents another key component of the new policy structure. The guidelines explain how information about user interactions with content helps determine whether non-advertising materials reach their intended audiences and match user interests. This includes tracking whether users read articles, watch videos, listen to podcasts, or review product descriptions, as well as monitoring time spent on services and web pages visited.
The ministries' document also addresses audience analysis through statistical data combinations. Reports can be generated by combining various data sets, including user profiles, statistics, market research, and analytics data, to understand how users interact with both advertising and non-advertising content. This analysis helps identify common characteristics and determine which target audiences respond more favorably to specific campaigns or content types, enhancing the effectiveness of government digital communications.
