French regulators have hit Google and Facebook with fines totaling 210m euros over use of cookies, the BBC reports.
Data privacy watchdog the CNIL said both sites were making it difficult for internet users to refuse the online trackers.
Consent for the use of cookies is key to the EU’s data-privacy regulation and a major priority for the CNIL.
The social-media firms have three months to comply or face penalties of 100,000 euros for each day of delay.
Cookies are little packets of data that allows web browsers to store information and provide, for example, targeted ads.
“When you accept cookies, it’s done in just one click,” said Karin Kiefer, the CNIL’s head of data protection and sanctions.
“Rejecting cookies should be as easy as accepting them.”
