This weekend saw the long-heralded implementation of new regulations in the UK around “cookies”, digital morsels of data that can track surfing behaviour across the web, and an accompanying last-minute rush from several popular websites to comply, with many using small pop-up messages on their homepages. Surveys of both consumers and companies show that most remain confused about the 2009 European e-privacy directive, which requires website owners to obtain the consent of their visitors to the use of cookies.