meta_id 3111206

On 29 April 2026, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) published finalised guidance on Storage and Access Technologies (SATs), covering how the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) apply to cookies, tracking pixels, device fingerprinting and similar technologies. The guidance incorporates updates following two consultations and amendments introduced by the Data (Use and Access) Act. It includes new examples and clarification points to assist organisations in complying with applicable law. The ICO notes the guidance reflects the law as it currently stands and sits separately from its ongoing work to review regulation 6 of PECR for online advertising purposes, with further updates expected in the coming weeks. William Malcolm, Executive Director Regulatory Risk and Innovation at the ICO, stated the guidance provides online service providers with regulatory certainty to enable responsible innovation and practical compliance assistance. The ICO reports that 99 percent of the United Kingdom's top 1,000 websites now meet compliance standards for cookie banners following focused ICO engagement with industry. The ICO intends to continue its compliance work and interventions to develop a fairer, more transparent online tracking ecosystem that provides individuals with meaningful control over their data usage. The guidance is available on the ICO website. REFERENCES: Information Commissioner's Office, Final storage and access technologies guidance published, 29 April 2026, https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/news-and-events/news-and-blogs/2026/04/final-storage-and-access-technologies-guidance-published/