Italy: Announced Data Protection Authority Investigation on Cookie Walls Use

On 21 October 2022, Italy's Privacy Guarantor (IPG) announced the opening of an investigation into cookie wall use by companies operating online. The privacy authority's initiative follows the adoption by websites, newspapers and companies operating online of systems aimed at conditioning access to their content, requiring paid subscriptions (paywall) or granting consent to access personal data using (cookie wall). The IPG stated that adopting such systems does not contradict the European data protection law. However, the IPG noted that it is opening investigations to verify the compliance of these actions with the legislation in force.