If you run a website in 2026, compliance is no longer something you handle once and forget about.

If you run a website that collects any form of user data, handles cookies, or operates within the EU or similar regulatory environments, you already know the uneasy feeling.

Here is something that might surprise you. Your website could be breaking consumer protection rules right now, and you would have no idea.

Imagine this: it’s Monday morning, you grab your coffee, and your phone starts buzzing.

If you’re running a business website, you’ve probably felt that nagging worry about compliance.

If you’re running a website for your business, you’ve probably spent considerable time worrying about privacy policies, cookie consents, and terms of service.

If you’ve ever clicked ”Accept All Cookies” on a website just to make the banner disappear, you’re not alone.

I remember talking to a client who proudly showed me their compliance audit report from six months earlier.

I’ll be honest with you – I’ve seen countless websites that look professional, have beautiful designs, and seem to tick all the boxes for modern web presence.

If you’ve ever woken up at 3 AM wondering whether your cookie consent banner is still working after last night’s website update, or if your privacy policy link somehow broke …

Most website owners treat their Terms of Service like a fire extinguisher – they install it once and forget it exists until something goes wrong.

There’s a particular kind of stress that comes with running a website.

I’ll be honest – I used to think manual compliance checks were just part of running a professional website.

Picture this: you’re running a successful online business, everything’s humming along nicely, and then someone from your legal team or a concerned customer sends you an urgent message.

If you run a website for a public sector organization, university, or even a larger private company serving the public in Europe, you’ve probably heard about accessibility statements.

When I first started running web services, I thought having an SSL certificate was enough to keep things secure.

I learned this lesson the hard way about five years ago.

If you’ve ever landed on a website with a cookie banner that looks professional but doesn’t actually work properly, you’ve witnessed the difference between visual and technical compliance.

When you’re running a website or managing digital properties for clients, compliance checking often feels like one of those tasks you can handle yourself.

You’ve spent hours crafting the perfect privacy policy, had it reviewed by legal experts, and published it on your website.

If you’re running a business website, compliance probably feels like one of those necessary evils – something you deal with once during launch and hope never to think about again.