To clarify a bit here and add a bit of perspective, from the official government docs :-
[url]]
http://www.ico.gov.uk/~/media/documents/library/Privacy_and_electronic/Practical_application/enforcing_the_revised_privacy_and_electronic_communication_regulations_v1.pdf[/url
It says basically :-
it does not expect work on technical solutions to be completed before the implementation deadline;
it recognises that it will take time for these solutions to be developed, evaluated and rolled out; and
during this time it does not expect that ICO will take enforcement action against organisations that are working to address their use of cookies or are engaged in development work on browsers and/or other solutions.
The BBC's take on this is that hit squads of 'cookie usage enforcers' are not going to be set up to check sites, the ICO will act on complaints only and will only pursue companies that state they are going to willfully disobey the law, ie will make no effort to and will never comply with this.
Doesn't of course mean we should do nothing, as the document goes on to say :-
This does not let everyone off the hook. Those who choose to do
nothing will have their lack of action taken into account when we begin formal enforcement of the rules.
which it says is going to be 1 year from 26th May
The ICO is now empowered to audit any site it wants to and impose civil penalties of up to £500000 for very serious breaches where personal information is lost, although in practice this will have to be fairly catastrophic somehow.
BTW IANAL read and interpret any way you like.
