The Vergecast: Ad-Free Edition The case for banning cookie banners
Apr 7, 2026
Allison Johnson, senior reviewer who tests phones and mapping apps, and Kate Klonick, professor and researcher on legal tech and online privacy, debate big fixes for web tracking. They argue for scrapping cookie banners and explore AI in Google Maps, from helpful Ask Maps itineraries to unsettling privacy tradeoffs. They also test whether e-ink phones and friction can curb digital distraction.
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Living In Paris Made Banners Feel Oppressive
- Klonick's frustrations peaked during a Fulbright in Paris where repeated banners blocked simple tasks like translations or restaurant locations.
- She describes entering sites and getting asked to accept cookies on multiple pages, making mobility painful.
Banners Reduce Pressure And Block Change
- The current cookie-banner regime reduces pressure on regulators and locks companies into low-cost compliance.
- Klonick argues removing banners would force new, harder discussions and regulatory innovation around privacy.
Try Fewer Forms And Smarter Privacy Tools
- Consider alternatives to banners like browser middleware, economic models, or fewer forms to surface meaningful choices.
- Klonick suggests exploring payments for data, smarter browser solutions, and reducing cluttered consent prompts.