Tracking Consent for Google Analytics

[mburdett555]

Are UK business actually required by law to ask for users permission before tracking and sending data to Google Analytics?

I'm actively working on a new website and currently employ a popup that directly controls whether analytics is loaded or not

If a user rejects, they can continue browsing the website but analytics never loads and they remain untracked in this respect. And obviously on the other hand if they consent/ accept, analytics tracks as normal and their visit shows in Google Analytics 4.

However looking at several of my competitors, their pages load analytics with absolutely no popup at all. One of which simply has a message at the bottom saying it has updated it's privacy policy to reflect the GDPR, but continues on its merry way tracking users through analytics with no opt out. As soon as you land, you're visit is recorded. Another doesn't even have any form of notice. Check the page source and Analytics is clearly loaded.
While Others simply ask for consent before sharing with advertiser's but nothing about tracking.

I'm guessing this site also tracks without consent, it gives you the option to Leave but I'm assuming data is sent if you ignore it.

Is this a law and is it actually enforced? Many businesses seem to understand the concept of GDPR but seem to see it more as a chore than anything Else.

 

[fisicx]

In theory you should ask for consent and offer and opt out.

But it's not enforced so I'd not bother even asking. At worst if you do ever get reported all you then need to do is add an opt out poup up.

Consider also that many people now block tracking by default so you won't ever get accurate stats. Unless you use the webstats your server collects - they will always be 100% accurate.