vb.org Archive - Miscellaneous Hacks - Unobtrusive EU cookie work-around

The EU Legislation regarding website cookies may on the surface appear not to concern forum owners, but I am afraid it does very much concern us, the cookie that "Remember Me?", login and register downloads constitute 'non-essential cookies' and is in actuality a direct violation of the EU Legislation.

Even if you do not agree with this Legislation, the facts remain the same, it is a Law and whether we like it or not as forum owners we can be held accountable, in light of this I figure why have a messy image or annoying pop-up infuriating your users when we can use a simple title html function.

You can see it working live on my own site here: http://lightpathways.gi9.co/forum.php

OPEN:
header template

FIND:

Code:

<li><a href="register.php{vb:raw session.sessionurl_q}" rel="nofollow">{vb:rawphrase register}</a></li>

REPLACE WITH:

Code:

<li><a href="register.php{vb:raw session.sessionurl_q}" rel="nofollow" title="In accordance with EU Laws we must inform you that registering with us will store a cookie on your computer!">{vb:rawphrase register}</a></li>

FIND:

Code:

<input type="submit" class="loginbutton" tabindex="104" value="{vb:rawphrase log_in}" title="{vb:rawphrase enter_username_to_login_or_register}" accesskey="s" />

REPLACE WITH:

Code:

<input type="submit" class="loginbutton" tabindex="104" value="{vb:rawphrase log_in}" title="{vb:rawphrase enter_username_to_login_or_register} In accordance with EU Laws we must inform you that logging in will store a cookie on your computer!" accesskey="s" />

FIND:

Code:

<label for="cb_cookieuser_navbar">

REPLACE WITH:

Code:

<label for="cb_cookieuser_navbar" title="In order for this site to work correctly, and for us to improve the site we need to store a small file (called a cookie) on your computer. Most every site in the World does this, however since the 25th of May 2011, according to EU Laws we have to get your permission first. If you click the box for 'Remember Me?' we will store a cookie on your computer, you do not have to click this box if you do not want us to download a cookie onto your computer but if you make this choice then this site will not work properly, the choice is yours to make!">

SAVE AND CLOSE header TEMPLATE

NOTE: You can of course alter the text if you wish but be sure to maintain the following basic structure or it wont work properly, replace ONLY the text in red!

X vBulletin 3.8.12 by vBS Debug Information
Template Usage: (1)ad_footer_end (1)ad_footer_start (1)ad_header_end (1)ad_header_logo (1)ad_navbar_below (6)bbcode_code_printable (4)bbcode_quote_printable (1)footer (1)gobutton (1)header (1)headinclude (6)option (1)post_thanks_navbar_search (1)printthread (8)printthreadbit (1)spacer_close (1)spacer_open Phrase Groups Available: global postbit showthread	Included Files: ./printthread.php ./global.php ./includes/init.php ./includes/class_core.php ./includes/config.php ./includes/functions.php ./includes/class_hook.php ./includes/modsystem_functions.php ./includes/class_bbcode_alt.php ./includes/class_bbcode.php ./includes/functions_bigthree.php Hooks Called: init_startup init_startup_session_setup_start init_startup_session_setup_complete cache_permissions fetch_threadinfo_query fetch_threadinfo fetch_foruminfo style_fetch cache_templates global_start parse_templates global_setup_complete printthread_start bbcode_fetch_tags bbcode_create bbcode_parse_start bbcode_parse_complete_precache bbcode_parse_complete printthread_post printthread_complete
Messages:

X vBulletin 3.8.12 by vBS Debug Information

Page Generation 0.01191 seconds
Memory Usage 1,733KB
Queries Executed 10 (?)

More Information

Template Usage:

(1)ad_footer_end
(1)ad_footer_start
(1)ad_header_end
(1)ad_header_logo
(1)ad_navbar_below
(6)bbcode_code_printable
(4)bbcode_quote_printable
(1)footer
(1)gobutton
(1)header
(1)headinclude
(6)option
(1)post_thanks_navbar_search
(1)printthread
(8)printthreadbit
(1)spacer_close
(1)spacer_open

Phrase Groups Available:

global
postbit
showthread

Included Files:

./printthread.php
./global.php
./includes/init.php
./includes/class_core.php
./includes/config.php
./includes/functions.php
./includes/class_hook.php
./includes/modsystem_functions.php
./includes/class_bbcode_alt.php
./includes/class_bbcode.php
./includes/functions_bigthree.php

Hooks Called:

init_startup
init_startup_session_setup_start
init_startup_session_setup_complete
cache_permissions
fetch_threadinfo_query
fetch_threadinfo
fetch_foruminfo
style_fetch
cache_templates
global_start
parse_templates
global_setup_complete
printthread_start
bbcode_fetch_tags
bbcode_create
bbcode_parse_start
bbcode_parse_complete_precache
bbcode_parse_complete
printthread_post
printthread_complete

Messages:

X vBulletin 3.8.12 by vBS Debug Information
Page Generation 0.01191 seconds Memory Usage 1,733KB Queries Executed 10 (?)
More Information
Template Usage: (1)ad_footer_end (1)ad_footer_start (1)ad_header_end (1)ad_header_logo (1)ad_navbar_below (6)bbcode_code_printable (4)bbcode_quote_printable (1)footer (1)gobutton (1)header (1)headinclude (6)option (1)post_thanks_navbar_search (1)printthread (8)printthreadbit (1)spacer_close (1)spacer_open Phrase Groups Available: global postbit showthread	Included Files: ./printthread.php ./global.php ./includes/init.php ./includes/class_core.php ./includes/config.php ./includes/functions.php ./includes/class_hook.php ./includes/modsystem_functions.php ./includes/class_bbcode_alt.php ./includes/class_bbcode.php ./includes/functions_bigthree.php Hooks Called: init_startup init_startup_session_setup_start init_startup_session_setup_complete cache_permissions fetch_threadinfo_query fetch_threadinfo fetch_foruminfo style_fetch cache_templates global_start parse_templates global_setup_complete printthread_start bbcode_fetch_tags bbcode_create bbcode_parse_start bbcode_parse_complete_precache bbcode_parse_complete printthread_post printthread_complete
Messages: