Yes, website owners are obliged to inform users about cookies and obtain consent to their use, especially analytical and marketing ones, as required by the GDPR and the Telecommunications Law (Article 173). Failure to comply with this obligation may result in high financial penalties (up to EUR 20 million or 4% of turnover) and loss of trust. A transparent notification (banner) and the possibility of user choice (consent, rejection, customization) are required.
Obligation and legal basis
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation): Requires the processing of personal data in accordance with the principles of transparency and consent.
Telecommunications Law (Article 173): Requires information about cookies and obtaining consent (or enabling its change through browser settings).
What you need to do on the website
Notification (Banner): Display a clear banner with information about cookies, the purpose of their use, selection options and the possibility of withdrawing consent.
Consent: Users must provide informed consent to cookies that are not necessary for the basic operation of the site (e.g., analytical, marketing).
User Options: Provide the ability to accept all, reject or adjust cookie settings (e.g., only necessary cookies).
Privacy Policy: Provide easy access to a detailed Privacy Policy.
Ongoing requirement: The notification should be visible and the ability to manage consent should be easy, e.g., through a permanent icon on the website.
Consequences of non-compliance
Financial penalties: Up to EUR 20,000,000 or 4% of annual global turnover (GDPR), as well as up to 3% of revenue (Telecommunications Law).
Loss of trust: Negatively affects the image and traffic of the website.
Summary
Virtually every website using analytical, advertising, or content personalization tools must have a properly implemented cookie notification and consent mechanism, which is a legal requirement.