One Trust

OneTrust is a software platform that helps companies manage privacy, cookies and consents according to the AVG and other privacy laws. The system ensures that website visitors clearly see which cookies are placed, gain control over them and that you as a business owner can demonstrate that you comply with your obligations. For Dutch SME companies with a website or ecommerce store, OneTrust is one of the most widely used solutions to automatically handle cookie banners, consent-logging and data requests.

How OneTrust automates privacy compliance

OneTrust scans your website and detects which cookies and tracking scripts are active. Based on that scan, the platform generates a cookie banner that informs visitors and asks for permission. When a visitor makes their choice, OneTrust logs that consent with timestamp and IP address. That logging is crucial in the event of an audit by the Personal Data Authority. In addition, OneTrust automatically blocks non-essential cookies until the visitor agrees. That prevents unintentional breaches before someone has indicated their preference. The platform works with all common website environments, from WordPress to Shopify to custom-developed sites.

Why OneTrust came into being and why it matters even more now

Before the introduction of the AVG in May 2018, cookie management was often a matter of a simple pop-up with no real control. Since the AVG and the ePrivacy Directive, companies must ask for demonstrable consent and give visitors the option to change their choice later. OneTrust was created in response to those heightened requirements. The Personal Data Authority has already handed out several fines in the United States to companies that placed non-essential cookies without prior consent. That makes a robust consent solution no longer optional. At the same time, the number of tracking tools and integrations on the average website is growing, making manual monitoring unfeasible.

What OneTrust delivers for SMEs

With OneTrust, you avoid fines and reputational damage by being demonstrably compliant. You gain insight into which cookies your website places, including those from third parties such as Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel or chatbots. That overview helps clean up unnecessary scripts, making your website faster and more secure. For ecommerce stores, cookie management is especially important: visitors who experience distrust on the first click are more likely to leave the site. A clear, professional cookie banner inspires confidence. Want to know how to integrate OneTrust into a new or existing website? See how a professional website design journey incorporates privacy by design from day one. Linking to Google Tag Manager is also essential to pass consent signals to your tracking tags.

OneTrust is deployed in situations where privacy compliance, transparency and automation come together. Below are four concrete applications that SMBs use every day to reduce risk and increase trust.

Cookie banners and consent-logging for websites and ecommerce stores

The most visible application is the cookie banner that visitors see on their first visit. OneTrust generates a banner that meets the requirements of the AVG: clear information, prior consent for non-essential cookies and an easy way to adjust choices. The platform logs each consent with timestamp, IP address and chosen categories. That logging is your proof in the event of an audit. For ecommerce stores with many visitors from different countries, OneTrust offers multilingual banners and country-specific regulations. This way you automatically comply with the GDPR in the United States, the CCPA in California and other local privacy laws without manually building a separate solution for each market.

Automatic cookie scanning and script management

OneTrust periodically scans your website and detects new cookies or tracking scripts added by plug-ins, advertising platforms or chat tools. This prevents you from unknowingly becoming non-compliant when a developer activates a new integration. The platform automatically categorizes cookies into functional, analytical, marketing and social media. You can then set whether each category should be blocked by default until the visitor gives permission. That automatic blocking works via a script that OneTrust places on your site. For SMBs with a limited IT team, this saves hours of manual work and reduces the chance of errors.

Managing data requests and inspection requests according to Article 15 AVG

Visitors have the right to see what data you have collected about them, have that data corrected or deleted. OneTrust provides a portal where visitors can make their own request. The platform forwards that request to the appropriate person in your organization and tracks whether you've responded within the 30-day legal deadline. That automation prevents requests from getting lost in a mailbox and you from responding too late. For companies with a CRM system or marketing automation tool, OneTrust links via API integrations to collect data from multiple systems. That makes the response to a query complete and reliable.

Privacy impact assessments and documentation for audits.

For larger projects or high-risk processing, the AVG requires you to conduct a privacy impact assessment. OneTrust provides templates and workflows to complete and document those assessments step by step. The platform generates reports that you can use in an audit or as substantiation for your processor agreements. For SMEs working with large clients, that documentation is often a contract requirement. Without structured documentation, you run the risk of missing out on a contract or having to prove afterwards that you were compliant, which is virtually impossible without logging.

When OneTrust is the right choice and when it is not

OneTrust is the right choice if you have a professional website or ecommerce store with multiple tracking tools, an international audience or strict compliance requirements from customers or regulators. The platform is scalable and grows with your organization. OneTrust is less suitable for very small websites without tracking, such as a simple portfolio site or a static landing page with only functional cookies. In those cases, a lighter cookie banner plug-in is often sufficient. Also note the cost: OneTrust charges per domain and module, which may be prohibitive for startups with limited budgets. Alternatives such as free open-source consent tools are then a temporary option, provided you have the technical knowledge to set them up correctly yourself.