Understanding Consent Management

Cookie consent management is a legal requirement in most jurisdictions. LegalBanner helps you collect, store, and prove visitor consent.

Opt-In vs. Opt-Out

Opt-In (GDPR model)

Non-essential cookies are blocked by default
Visitors must click "Accept" before analytics, marketing, or functional cookies can be set
Required in the EU, UK, and many other regions
LegalBanner blocks scripts automatically until consent is given

Opt-Out (CCPA model)

Non-essential cookies are allowed by default
Visitors can choose to opt out via a "Do Not Sell My Personal Information" link
Common in the United States
Scripts run immediately; consent is recorded when the visitor interacts

Consent Categories

LegalBanner groups cookies into five categories:

Essential — Always active, cannot be disabled. These are cookies required for your site to function (session tokens, security cookies, load balancers). Functional — Enhance user experience but aren't strictly necessary. Examples: live chat widgets, language preferences, saved form data. Analytics — Track how visitors use your site. Examples: Google Analytics, Hotjar, Mixpanel. Marketing — Used for advertising and retargeting. Examples: Google Ads, Facebook Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag. Unclassified — Cookies detected by the scanner that haven't been categorized yet. Review these periodically and assign them to the correct category.

How Consent Is Stored

When a visitor makes a choice, LegalBanner stores their preferences in:

1. A cookie named lb_consent (valid for 1 year) 2. A localStorage backup named lb_consent_ls (fallback if cookies are blocked)

The stored data includes which categories were accepted and a timestamp, but no personal information.

Global Privacy Control (GPC)

If a visitor's browser sends a Global Privacy Control signal, LegalBanner automatically honors it by treating the visit as a "Reject All" — no banner is shown, and no non-essential cookies are set.

What Happens After Consent?

Accepted categories — Scripts tagged with those categories are activated automatically
Rejected categories — Scripts remain blocked
Consent log — Every decision is recorded in your consent log for compliance proof