This translation has not been editorially reviewed yet. The German version is authoritative. Deutsche Fassung →
Does "Decline" work technically? The check clicks and measures
The check clicks "Decline", reloads the page, and measures whether the same third-party connections still run afterwards. This is the only point in the entire audit where more than reading happens — it's explicitly stated in the audit rules.
- The exception is necessary because this question can't be answered by reading alone. A banner can have a decline button whose activation does nothing — and that's not uncommon in practice.
- Technically, the process is the normal use of a public page: one click, one repeat visit. No login attempt, no form input, no order.
- If everything stays unchanged after declining, that's the most telling finding in this audit area: the consent solution is then a surface with no effect.
