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It seems this became the paranoia in 2018, and probably earlier for a few websites; but this year I am seeing this message almost on each and every website I visit from EU networks. It looks like a madness. Now I'm forced to make at least one click before I start to read the website's contents. Sometimes the solution implemented for this warning, takes a huge processing time. I'm forced to wait until this crappy thing loads & displays up before I actually browse. This all looks so killing annoying.

As you see, on miniBB website and forum there's actually nor such warning, nor a related pop-up appearing. Why?

Because we don't track visitors. We use sort of internal counting machine for their amount, and some tools for analyzing the referrers. But miniBB website primary doesn't use any cookies to track visitors, except those necessary for Customers login handling.

Do we use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyze our traffic?

No.

Do we share information about your use of our site with social media, advertising and analytics partners, who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them, or that they've collected from your use of their services?

No.

I'm afraid website owners putting the Cookies alert, do not even expect, that they should not do this for each and every Cookie their website may set. Only if there are Cookies affecting the real privacy of the visitor, this should be wrapped in an immediate warning, BUT:

As about miniBB forums, and miniBB forums engine software, in general, there's nothing to worry about as well. The forum software is not forcing users to provide their real usernames, but nicknames; so whatever is kept in a Cookie via login to the forum, is a nickname and an encoded password, which do not cross with other websites in any way. There's also a "CSRF" cookie which defines the physical presence on the forum and it doesn't keep anything private, just a random ID. The Who's online add-on sets up its own Cookie as well; but it tracks the visitor only in term of his appearing on the website, and also doesn't keep anything private.

This is actually all about 3-types of cookies the miniBB forum may set. None of them is about a real privacy.

If you use the miniBB forum on your website, avoid putting an unnecessary "say hello to cookie" message. Your visitors will only appreciate it.

If you do the same about your website, your visitors will even love you.

Let's keep the browsing clean!

Why make a website load fast when you have to spend an additional 5 seconds to click on the 'Agree' button ;) To make it absolutely strict, it may be a good idea to disallow to enter the @ character for guest posters in the username field so that they don't enter their full email and then claim it was not private etc.

I suppose GDPR and ePR are about websites which require real usernames, addresses, i.e. they force anyone to enter his personal information, 'cause it's necessary in terms of website execution (for example it could be something related to finance or shopping).

But if someone doesn't mind to leave an email address to public if there's no even a requirement for it, it could be done also in the message body, not just the guest-name field; could be in the public user's profile, too. I suppose, you already know that people often do not mind to leave even their real phone numbers on public forum pages :) I think, if someone leaves an email address, it's up to this user's mind, I would avoid such "censorship" 'cause it's truly doesn't affect the political laws.