Today Paid On Results launches its European Union E-privacy directive solution, which comes into effect on the 26th May 2012. We have published an easy to understand guide to our cookie usage for end users, along with offering an optional opt-out function for users.
Informed Consent
Our “about our cookie” page at http://www.paidonresults.net/cookies/ informs users:
- Who we are
- What we do
- How our tracking cookie works
Affiliates, who are creating their own cookie guides to add to their website to explain their own cookie usage, can link to our guide above to cover the Paid On Results cookie which is set upon clicking our Affiliate links.
Cookie Opt-Out
In addition to the information we provide, we have created an opt-out function for users who do not want our cookie to be set. Once a user opts out of our cookie, we will no longer track clicks generated by that user. We understand this has a potential detrimental effect on Affiliates, so have empowered Affiliates to control the behaviour of our links when they are clicked by a user who has previously chosen to opt out. Affiliates can choose to display a message explaining to the user they have opted out of our cookie and therefore to continue they need to opt in to our cookies. The message would be shown to the user rather than just redirect the user to the Merchant without tracking any resulting sales. By default the redirection takes place as normal regardless if the user has opted-out.
Affiliates can set the behaviour of their links via the Affiliate Control Panel, by clicking Account Options on the left hand menu.
We strongly feel our cookie is unobtrusive and has no effect on user’s privacy. Our tracking cookie is only set when the user clicks on one of our links. This feeling is shared by the recent publication from the ICC which has categorised cookies used by Affiliate Networks, such as ours, in category 2, along with cookies used by website owners for analytics and split testing.
API
An API is available for our opt-out function should any Affiliate or organisations create a unified industry wide opt-out tool. This level of co-operation between companies has been seen in other industries which make use of cookies and we welcome any developments in that area.
Prior Consent
Should any Affiliate wish for us to obtain prior consent before setting our tracking cookie on the initial click through of our links, then this too is available to Affiliates. In this case, on click through of our links, the user, if not already given consent, is asked if we can set our cookie before proceeding to their chosen destination. This can be enabled on request.
About Paid On Results
Affiliate Network Paid On Results was established in 2002 and since then has led the industry through multiple innovations and pioneering developments from our reliable, cookieless tracking right through to our advanced reporting and linking methods. Our unique payment system allows our Affiliate to experience the fastest payments available which is unrivalled by any other Affiliate Network. Paid On Results is privately owned and one of the few UK networks to be able to boast profits in each trading year since its launch, the financial stability, reliability and constant presence of Paid On Results in the UK Affiliate Marketing industry has meant we have built a level of trust from our partners, both Merchant and Affiliate, that is unsurpassed.