It tells users they’re in control.
It tells you you're compliant.
But the truth? Most websites relying on third-party cookie banners aren’t even close.
They’re still tracking users before consent.
They’re still exposed to legal risk.
And they’re still treating privacy like a UX problem instead of a technical one.
Because here’s the reality: cookies are only part of the story.
Modern websites track using pixels, fingerprinting, local/session storage, embedded third-party tech, and server-side analytics. Most consent tools don’t even try to stop those. They’re built to look compliant, not be compliant.
The Dutch Data Protection Authority just made this clear.
This week, they warned 50 organizations - web shops, media companies, and insurers - to fix their cookie banners or face formal investigations and fines. These are the first 50 from a pool of 10,000 sites being actively monitored by the AP (read here).
They’re not guessing anymore.
They’re scanning, checking, and demanding technical compliance.
And that’s exactly what we do at AesirX.
“Technical compliance is binary; either it’s done right or it’s not.”
– Ronni K. Gothard Christiansen, Creator of AesirX.io
This isn’t hypothetical. It’s happening every day.
Just last week, I helped a client untangle this exact mess.
They were using a popular third-party cookie banner - it looked clean, ticked all the boxes. But behind the scenes?
⮕ 14 third-party cookies firing before consent
⮕ More than half were wrongly categorized
⮕ And here’s the kicker: 23 beacons - pixel trackers, JavaScripts, SDKs - were loading silently, without any opt-in or even opt-out options
No transparency. No user choice.
Just hidden tracking - exactly what regulators are looking for.
They thought they were compliant.
But the reality? Their setup was a privacy risk waiting to be flagged - and fined.
Most websites aren’t malicious.
They’re just relying on tools that don’t actually do the job.
Using the right tool for the job.
With AesirX CMP Pro, we’ve built a real privacy layer, not a pretty overlay.
No shortcuts. No grey zones. Just tools that actually do what regulators require.
⮕ Detects and blocks all tracking technologies (not just cookies)
⮕ Automatically respects GPC (Global Privacy Control) browser signals
⮕ Lets you define opt-in or opt-out logic per region
⮕ Offers full consent logging and audit-ready tracking
⮕ Already localized for key markets, with 33 languages rolling out in weekly sprints
⮕ Transparent, customizable UI for real user control
AesirX CMP 1.5.0 just launched with enhanced consent logging, better modal control, and 8 more languages. AesirX CMP 1.6.0 (coming this week) adds configurable logic for opt-in and opt-out setups. We're not just shipping features - we're building the infrastructure for global, technical compliance.
You can try AesirX CMP Pro completely free.
Just download it from our GitHub repository and install it in WordPress. It takes minutes to configure - and it works from the first load. No credit card. No lock-in. Just 2 weeks of full access to see what real compliance looks like.
And if you're unsure where your site stands, run a scan with our free Privacy Scanner. It checks exactly what regulators are checking - and not just cookies.
Privacy is no longer optional.
And now, doing nothing about it isn’t an option either..
Ronni K. Gothard Christiansen
Technical Compliance Expert & CEO, AesirX.io
