New Rules for Online Marketing affect all UK websites which use cookies. The regulations are maInly targeted at online advertising sites which track user behaviour, however any website which uses cookies will be required to warn viewers and give them the choice to opt out. It's clear that this will affect the design and usability of many sites.
The ICO has implemented a version of this already on it's own website - a clunky box which won't go away unless the viewer accepts cookies.
Businesses have 12 months to update their websites - here is the text from the site:
Many websites use cookies. Once these rules start to be
put into practice over the coming months you are likely to start to
see more information about cookies on sites and be given more
choices about these cookies. This might include, for example, being
asked to agree to a cookie being used for a particular service,
such as remembering your preferences on a site.
Organisations will need to decide on the best way to
provide clear information about cookies and to give people using
their websites the right choices. They will also want to make sure
that these changes do not adversely affect the experience of people
using the internet.
A new website http://www.youronlinechoices.com/uk/ explains
how behavioural advertising works and includes links to opt out
options and policies for major advertisers including Google as well
as an explanation of cookies.