Cookie Consent in Android WebViews

Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash

Web developers and Android app creators need to understand how to respect user privacy regarding cookie consent. If your Android app utilizes a WebView to display web content, you’ll need a strategy to bridge the gap between your website’s cookie consent mechanisms and your Android app. In this blog post, we’ll cover:

• Enabling cookie support in WebViews
• Communicating cookie consent from the website to your Android app
• Actions to take if the user does not give cookie consent

Enable Cookies in Your Android WebView

val myWebView = findViewById<WebView>(R.id.myWebView)
myWebView.settings.javaScriptEnabled = true
CookieManager.getInstance().setAcceptCookie(true)

Create a JavaScript Interface for Communication

class WebAppInterface(private val context: Context) {
    // ... rest of the code ...

    @JavascriptInterface
    fun notifyConsent() {
        // Handle consent in your app
    }
}

myWebView.addJavascriptInterface(WebAppInterface(this), "Android")

Update Website JavaScript

(window.consentApi?.consent("tidio-chat") || Promise.resolve()).then(() => {
    // ...
    if (window.Android) {
        window.Android.notifyConsent();
    }
});

What to Do When Cookie Consent is NOT Given

1. Respect the User’s Decision: Do not try to override cookie consent choices.
2. Limit Functionality: If features rely on cookies, disable them.
3. Transparent Communication: Explain why features are unavailable due to lack of consent.
4. Offer Guidance (If Possible): Provide instructions to enable cookies in the Android browser or, if applicable, give them in-app settings for cookie consent.

Successfully managing cookie consent in Android WebViews helps you build trust with your users and ensures compliance with privacy regulations.

Share your support 👏Happy coding!