Internet Cookies Statistics: A Data-Driven Tell-All

Data is gold for businesses and data brokers, and tracking customer behavior is fundamental to effective marketing strategy. Internet cookies exist for that purpose. 

Statista’s 2021 survey of age groups 18-55+ revealed that nearly 32% of internet users accept cookies without hesitation, while 42% reject them. 

The sensitivity of users to cookies is attributed to the overall anxious mood over data privacy. 77% of web surfers fully understand or, at least, have hints on the implications of internet cookies on personal data. 

Whether investigating people’s interaction with cookie pop-ups or in the middle of adjusting data mining efforts, here are some noteworthy stats on cookies. Read them here below. 

What Percentage of People Accept Cookies?

11% of 100,000 web visitors analyzed by Advance Metrics accepted cookie prompts generated by B2B websites in the service, industry, and trade business. 

On the other hand, 76% of users ignored the cookie banner, while 12% closed it by clicking the “X” button. Only 0.5% took the time to open the cookie settings. 

• 76% ignore the cookie banner
• 12% close the cookie banner
• 11% click on “Accept all cookies.”
• 0.5% open the cookie settings

Read further to learn how people behave around internet cookies, the common trends from countries, and other insightful general cookie stats.  

Cookie Usage Statistics

80% of advertisers consider cookies determiners of the target market. However, cookies can’t collect data if website visitors dismiss them. 

In this section, learn more about the types of user behavior when dealing with cookies.

1. Internet users only spend 13 seconds reading a website’s terms of service before consenting to cookies.

(Fast Company, Taylor & Francis Online) 

People often don't read terms of service statements before consenting to cookies, according to Obar and Oeldorf-Hirsch's study. They scan briefly before unknowingly accepting ridiculous terms, like exchanging a firstborn child for a service or product.

Terms and conditions are often cumbersome and difficult to read, and internet users are typically in a hurry. This causes them to assume they do not agree to anything serious. 

2. Only 1.13% of internet users erase their cookies manually or browse in incognito mode. 

(Research Gate)

Most users don’t know they can manually block or delete cookies on their browsers. Even if they do, most don’t feel doing so is necessary. 

Also, browsing incognito can be irksome as users need to activate the mode every time they browse. This led to reckless browsing habits and a lack of proper internet hygiene.

3. Digital publishers lose 52% of revenue when users block cookies on their browsers. 

(Media Post)

Digital publishers rely on cookies to identify individuals to target and measure their campaigns’ effectiveness. Publishers lose customer conversion data when an internet visitor’s browser blocks cookies. This causes them to lose possible revenue. 

News publishers lose an even steeper revenue at 62% because their main service is providing mass media content. Cookie-blocking browsers prevent their content from reaching target audiences, scattering them to uninterested internet users. 

4. 80% of internet users lose trust in a brand that uses data without consent.

(Statista, Story Partners)

One of the top reasons customers halt brand patronage is because of mistrust. 69% of Americans aren’t confident that companies will use their data in ways they will be comfortable with. 

Additionally, 60% to 50% of respondents find overkill marketing antics, including multiple calls, emails, irrelevant content, and lengthy customer support processes, annoying and bothersome. 

5. 60% of users will give data to get personalized benefits and discounts. 

(Deloitte, Business Insider)

Over half of Internet users will hand over personal data for exclusive discounts and improved services. This is especially true for customers seeking services from websites running under financial institutions and insurance companies. 

95% of the tech-savvy (millennials and Gen Zs) respondents are willing to share data. In comparison, only 55% of traditionalists over 55 are keen to share. 

The generational disparity arises from the younger generation's technology familiarity while the older generation's inexperience.

Cookie Statistics by Country

The response to cookie pop-ups differs across countries. For example, 63% of internet users from Poland, the UK, and Spain always “accept all” cookies. On the other spectrum, 61% of Hongkong, China, and US users don’t accept cookies or are conflicted about it. 

Explore cookie consent rates, comprehension, and user behavior in different countries and regions, examining the collective understanding and unique user behavior.

6. Poland has the highest consent rate for cookies at 64%. In comparison, the United States has the lowest at 32%. 

(Statista, Research Gate) 

EU countries like Poland have a high consent rate for cookies because of the public’s confidence in the General Data Protection Regulation and the ePrivacy Directive. These laws and the EU government’s vocal stance on protecting user data eases the public’s mood. 

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has equally strict internet cookie laws. However, a study published in Research Gate found that US-based cookie-setting dialogs are complex to navigate. 

It requires more work to opt in or out of all the cookies. It also adds friction to an ideal, smooth cookie acceptance transaction and inconveniences the user.

Take a look at the level of consent rate from countries with activated laws on internet cookies:

7. 70% of Asia-Pacific (APAC) internet consumers are willing to hand out personal data for a better user experience. 

(ZDNet, Digicon Asia)

APAC’s warm response on data transparency is backed by a 2023 research where 73% of internet users will most likely stop entertaining brands if their experience isn’t personalized or encounter buffering issues. 

China-based internet users top the list of the APAC countries willing to forgo personal online data for improved user experience. In comparison, Japanese netizens are the least likely to divulge information. 

Here is a table of APAC countries and the percentage of internet users from each country willing to hand out data for a better UX experience.

8. 82% of websites from India and New Zealand still rely on third-party cookies amidst the threat of third-party cookie phaseout. 

(Adobe, AdNews)

Google is on the verge of phasing out third-party cookies in 2024. Yet, in India, New Zealand, and 81% of Australian websites rely heavily on third-party cookies for marketing campaigns. 

Experts advise large and small businesses to find alternatives to third-party cookies immediately. 59% of global leaders are accelerating their readiness for the future crumble of cookies, while the remaining 41% say it’s not a priority. 

9. 56% of Australians need help understanding the role of internet cookies. 

(AdNews, Pew Research Center, ABC News)

Australians are aware of internet cookies, but most are still determining the role of cookies in digital advertising and how it affects their online experience. In contrast, 63% of American internet users can accurately identify cookies as web tracking text files. 

Although categorized as a first-world country, Australia still suffers from a digital divide, one of the top determining factors for digital literacy. This led to 2.8 million Australians remaining 'highly excluded' from internet access. 

Cookie Trends Statistics 

Among the world’s 1.13 billion websites, 42% actively use cookies to track online activity. By 2030, there will be 3.5 billion websites, most of which will actively or passively use cookies. 

As the use of cookies continues to rise, it’s important to uncover trends about their behavior online, how brands use them, and the likely alternatives when Google phases out third-party cookies. 

10. Third-party cookies are responsible for sneakily loading 72% of cookies on websites. 

(Cookiebot)

There are upsides to allowing third-party cookies servers on websites. However, there are instances in which third-party senders are secretly loading cookies without a user’s knowledge. 

There are risks involved with not overseeing what types of anonymous cookies go through a website, such as cookie theft. Also, if the surveillance activities of third-party cookies go overboard, privacy concerns and potential legal issues may arise. 

11. 28% of marketers believe in growing email lists as the most viable replacement for cookies. 

(Statista)

When asked what’s the most viable alternative to third-party cookies, collecting email addresses was the top choice among senior marketing and publishing executives. Additionally, 56% of marketers plan to boost their email marketing budget in 2023.

As more content is sent to a growing mailing list, marketers receive real-time insightful data such as clickthrough, email sharing, and bounce rates. Below are the rest of the third-party cookie alternatives marketers feel will trend in the coming years. 

12. 37% of brands use first-party cookie data to personalize customer experiences.

(Statista)

The trust in first-party cookie data to take care of personalizing customer experience increased by 6% since 2021. Now that there’s a threat of a third-party cookie phaseout, CEOs and marketers are rethinking their next moves, which involve maximizing first-party cookies.

Producing strong content is critical in building a meaningful and enduring relationship with customers through first-party cookies. The sooner marketers lean into harnessing first-party data, the better they prime their position in understanding customers.

Conclusion

Internet cookies initially aimed to save users time by automatically recording login details but have evolved into a crucial tool for understanding online audiences.

Marketers view cookies as a gateway to data heaven, while average users view them as notifications blocking their access to desired pages. 

Also, cookies turning into a more invasive form of data mining further sour users' attitudes toward them. Still, most will sacrifice personal details for discounts and enhanced user experience.