Privacy & Cookie Policy Check-Up to Kick Off 2026
Privacy and cookie policy check-up strengthens trust, ensures compliance, and prepares businesses for new rules on children’s privacy and AI.
Hello,
In business as in health, check-ups are essential. We review our finances, our marketing strategies, and our goals for the new year. Yet one area is still too often overlooked: digital privacy and cookie management.
In 2025, privacy protection has become central. Consumers, governments, and platforms all demand more transparency than ever. According to a Pew Research Center study, 79% of internet users abandon a site that doesn’t display a clear privacy policy. In other words, without transparency, we risk losing nearly eight out of ten visitors before even presenting our products or services.
That’s why 2026 must begin with a true digital check-up. Like an annual health exam confirming the well-being of our organization, reviewing our privacy and cookie policies helps us remain credible, compliant, and competitive in a constantly changing market.
MusicScore: This article was written while listening to Talk Talk - Life's What You Make It. A timeless track reminding us that our future—digital or otherwise—is what we choose to make of it. Perfect inspiration as we start 2026 with clarity and confidence.
Why do an annual check-up?
We always plan our budgets and advertising campaigns for the year ahead. Why not apply the same rigor to our privacy policies? By updating them regularly, we not only ensure compliance with the law, but also strengthen trust with our audience.
A clear and updated privacy policy sends three powerful messages:
We are transparent about how we use customer data.
We respect the law and are committed to protecting personal information.
We value trust as the foundation of our business relationships.
Beyond compliance, it is also a strategic choice. In a saturated digital environment, transparency becomes a competitive advantage. By investing in clarity and accessibility, we demonstrate that we understand an essential truth: trust is as valuable a currency as money.
Children’s privacy: what’s coming in 2026
In May 2025, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada launched a public consultation on a future code of practice for protecting children’s data. The goal is clear: establish specific rules to strengthen security and transparency when a website or service directly or indirectly addresses minors.
In 2026, this framework could become reality. Concretely, this means:
privacy policies written in plain language understandable by young people;
more detailed information for parents and guardians;
stricter limits on the collection of sensitive data related to children.
For Quebec businesses, the stakes are high. Think of educational platforms, online shops targeting families, or youth-oriented media. If we don’t adapt our practices now, we risk scrambling later to comply with requirements that will quickly become unavoidable.
Our 2026 check-up must therefore include a simple question: do our services address minors, directly or indirectly? If the answer is yes, it’s time to thoroughly review our privacy policy.
Artificial intelligence and transparency: an unavoidable shift
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already transforming the way we recruit, analyze, and communicate. But with that power comes growing demands for transparency.
In Canada, the federal government is advancing the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), which aims to regulate the use of AI and the data that powers it. Meanwhile, Ontario has already taken an important step: starting in January 2026, companies must clearly inform job candidates when AI is used in the recruitment process.
This precedent could quickly extend to other areas: automated marketing, credit scoring, customer segmentation, campaign management.
For us—entrepreneurs, creators, and organizations—the message is clear: if we use AI technologies, we must mention it in our privacy policies. Not only to be transparent, but also to show that we master our tools and respect our clients.
Web Policies : The practical 2026 checklist
To turn these challenges into concrete actions, here’s a five-point check-up we can all carry out right now:
Update the cookie banner. Offer granular choices (essential, statistics, marketing) and keep a traceable record of consent.
Check the readability of the policy. Add a clear summary or FAQ at the top of the page to make the information more accessible.
List all third-party tools. Explicitly mention the use of Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, CRM, AI, or any other system that collects data.
Provide an opt-out mechanism. Allow users to change their preferences at any time, ideally via a footer link.
Schedule an annual update. Display the date of the last revision and set an internal reminder at the beginning of each year to review compliance.
This check-up is not a burden but an opportunity: it demonstrates that we are proactive and that we value trust.
Common mistakes to avoid
Even with the best intentions, some mistakes keep coming back:
Copy-pasting another site’s policy: each business has unique practices. A copied policy can be incoherent or illegal.
Using legal jargon: an incomprehensible policy has no value to the public.
Forgetting third-party tools: if we use trackers, they must be named.
Ignoring mobile accessibility: a policy that’s hard to read on a phone reduces credibility.
Not announcing updates: visitors must be informed when significant changes are made.
Conclusion
In 2026, privacy and transparency are no longer administrative formalities. They have become levers of growth, credibility, and differentiation.
Doing a privacy and cookie policy check-up at the start of the year is an investment in our digital future. It allows us to reduce legal risks, strengthen client trust, and position ourselves as responsible, modern players.
With new obligations on the horizon—children’s privacy, AI regulation—waiting is no longer an option. Businesses that adapt now will be the ones inspiring trust and building loyalty in an increasingly competitive market.
In health as in business, prevention is better than cure. And for our digital presence, this 2026 check-up may well be the key to performance and credibility in the years to come.
See you on The Blog.
Jeff Maheux, W+M Agent.
Sources:
Pew Research Center – Online Privacy and Digital Behavior Study 2025: https://www.pewresearch.org.
Ipsos Canada – 2025 Consumer Digital Trust Survey: https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca.
Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) – 2025 Report on SME Digital Compliance: https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/en.
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada – Children’s Privacy Consultation 2025: https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/.
Government of Canada – Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA): https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/innovation/en/artificial-intelligence-and-data-act.
Government of Ontario – Notification Requirement for AI in Recruitment (effective Jan 2026): https://www.ontario.ca.
Cr images: Production Services W+M.
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Jeff Maheux, the W+M Agent!
I edit the content of existing sites via CMS in addition to creating sites with WordPress and Squarespace. I have been producing website content as a webmaster since 1998.
I help companies get their first website up and I improve the performance of existing sites.
Yes, I’m Mr. Analytics and my reaction time to new digital marketing is daily, which allows my clients to have optional and trend-cutting tools.
Follow the content of the marketing blog and participate in the articles by commenting, with respect, on the content of the site, intended for Quebec companies operating in the digital market.
Beginning 2026 without reviewing our privacy and cookie policies would be a mistake. Let’s do a digital check-up to strengthen credibility, compliance, and customer trust.