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Every rule we check, in plain words

43 rules for cookie consent, dark patterns, shop rules and accessibility. Each page says what the rule means, why it matters, the law behind it and how to fix it.

Does the banner really control tracking?18 rules
CriticalTrackers fire before consentCan my website load Google Analytics or Meta Pixel before the visitor consents?seen on 69 / 168CriticalTracking continues after “Reject”What happens if trackers still load after a visitor clicks “Reject all”?seen on 40 / 168CriticalTracking continues after consent is withdrawnDo trackers have to stop when a visitor withdraws their cookie consent?seen on 27 / 168HighNo “Reject” on the first layerDoes a cookie banner need a “Reject all” button?seen on 30 / 168HighAds tracking ignores Global Privacy ControlDo websites have to honour Global Privacy Control (GPC)?seen on 7 / 168HighConsent categories are pre-tickedAre pre-ticked cookie categories allowed?seen on 7 / 168HighSession data sent before consentCan Microsoft Clarity run before a visitor consents if it sets no cookies?seen on 5 / 168HighTrackers without any consent bannerDo I need a cookie banner if my site uses analytics or ad pixels?seen on 4 / 168HighPage stays locked after “Reject”Can I block my content until visitors accept cookies?HighEmbedded content loads before consentCan a YouTube video or Google Map load before cookie consent?MediumNo easy way to change your mindDoes a website need a link to change cookie settings after accepting?seen on 48 / 168Medium“Reject” is harder to see than “Accept”Can the reject button on a cookie banner be smaller or greyed out?seen on 32 / 168MediumAnalytics runs before consent (UK)Can a UK website run analytics before cookie consent?MediumConsent or pay: no free way to say noIs a “consent or pay” cookie wall allowed in the EU?MediumBanner comes back after “Reject”Should a cookie banner remember when a visitor clicks “Reject”?Medium“Reject” isn’t remembered on the next pageShould my site remember a visitor’s “Reject” on every page?LowTracking cookies last longer than 13 monthsHow long can analytics and advertising cookies last?seen on 125 / 168LowFonts loaded from Google or AdobeIs it a GDPR problem to load Google Fonts from Google’s servers?

Dark patterns

Is the shopper pushed or tricked?8 rules
HighPre-ticked marketing opt-inIs a pre-checked newsletter or marketing checkbox legal?HighCountdown restarts for every new visitorIs a countdown timer that resets for each visitor legal?MediumCountdown timer pressureAre countdown timers on product pages a dark pattern?seen on 8 / 168MediumAgreement checkbox ticked for the userCan I pre-tick the “I agree to the terms” checkbox?MediumConfirmshaming (guilt-trip opt-out wording)What is confirmshaming and is it illegal?MediumVague environmental claimsCan a shop still call its products “eco-friendly” in 2026?LowScarcity or urgency claim that isn’t trueIs “Only 2 left” or “15 people are viewing” allowed?LowReviews without a word on how they’re checkedDo shops have to say how they check customer reviews?

Shop rules

Withdrawal, business details and prices6 rules
MediumNo withdrawal link foundDoes my online shop need a “withdraw from contract” link?seen on 32 / 168MediumNo privacy policy linkDoes my website need a visible privacy policy link?seen on 9 / 168MediumBusiness details missingWhat business details does an online shop have to show?LowPrivacy notice may be missing topicsWhat should a privacy notice explain?LowWithdrawal link missing on some pagesDoes the withdrawal link have to be on every page?LowUnit price missingDo online shops have to show a price per kilogram or litre?

Accessibility

WCAG 2.2 AA, in shopper terms11 rules
WCAG AAText is too faint against its backgroundWhat color contrast does WCAG require?seen on 100 / 162WCAG AATap targets are too smallHow big should buttons and links be for WCAG?seen on 86 / 162WCAG AAYou can’t see where keyboard focus isIs it OK to remove the focus outline?seen on 57 / 162WCAG AClickable things you can’t reach with the keyboardDoes everything on a website need to work with a keyboard?seen on 55 / 162WCAG AImages have no text alternativeDo product images need alt text?seen on 50 / 162WCAG AForm fields have no labelDo form fields need a visible label?WCAG ALinks and buttons have no nameWhy do icon buttons need a name?WCAG AKeyboard focus gets stuckWhat is a keyboard trap?WCAG AAFocused items are hidden behind sticky bars or bannersWhat does WCAG 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured mean?WCAG APop-ups don’t manage keyboard focusWhere should focus go when a pop-up opens?WCAG AAThe page breaks when zoomed or on a narrow screenWhat do WCAG reflow and resize text ask for?

“Seen on” counts come from our study of 168 European shops (162 for accessibility), October 2026.