EU Cookie Legislation

[Note: This is not an interpretation of the law and does not constitute legal advice.]

What is the European Cookie Legislation?

Recent changes in European Legislation (EU Privacy Law) requires websites operated within the EU to ask visitors for permission to use certain types of cookies during their visit. If you have a website in the EU, this means you must ask your visitors for consent before you can drop any cookies on their browser which could be used for tracking purposes. This legislation does not prohibit the use of cookies so long as consent is obtained. Further, website operators may continue to use all cookies which are required for normal operation of the website or service.

Is this just for businesses?

No. Anyone who is based in the EU and operates a website for personal or business purposes in the EU is required to comply.

Do I need to do something?

If you operate a website in the EU, you must comply with the legislation by 5/26/12.

I am not based in the EU.  Do I need to do anything?

If you are not based in the EU, you can safely ignore this legislation.

Where can I get information on this legislation?

We have found this guide to be a very useful resource. In addition, we recommend you speak to your legal advisor if you need a qualified legal opinion.

How can I comply?

If your website is operated from within in the EU, you must update your website so that it obtains consent before making use of tracking cookies. Squarespace websites drop a single tracking cookie called "ss_lastvisit" to allow our statistics module to determine if a website visitor is unique. To get your visitors consent for this feature, simple add the following line to your header injection point:

<script type="text/javascript"> Static.EU_COOKIE_POLICY = "top-left"; </script>

For more information about this solution visit our knowledge base article. 

If you have enabled any other third-party services that make use of cookies, you should contact them to determine the best way to comply with this legislation.​

In NYC this week? Swing by our office!

​New York City is the proud home to one of the most exciting tech scenes in the world. We should know – we've been here since 2004.

For the third year in a row, Squarespace is throwing open our doors to the public in participation of WalkaboutNYC, a citywide open house event for technology companies. Curious New Yorkers can stop by and check out workspaces that inspire great work, get a taste of the creative process, and meet the people leading the great tech movement in NYC.

On Friday, you can join us in Soho from 1pm or 3pm for a quick tour, refreshments and a sneak peek into what we’re working on at the moment. Sign up for the tour here, and check out this handy map and schedule for a list of all participating companies.

If you plan on stopping by, let us know in the comments, or tweet us @squarespace.

Free Custom Domain Names

​Today we’re announcing free custom domains for all annual and bi-annual subscriptions. The addition of free domain registration means you’ll be able to set up your Squarespace site, under your own brand, within minutes. 

Free With Annual Purchase

If you purchase an annual or bi-annual account, we’ll give you one domain name for free. Choose the domain you want (availability includes .com, .net, .org, .biz, and .info), and it’s yours to keep. Each domain includes private WHOIS registration at no additional charge.

Zero Configuration

Our new Custom Domains interface makes domain selection and mapping a breeze. Never change a CNAME or A Record within a third-party registrar again. Just choose the domain you want, and we’ll take care of the rest. 

Google Apps Integration

Want a free email address to go with your new domain? You got it. We’ve integrated Google Apps so that you can set up your mailbox with your new custom domain right away. No more MX records, no more hassle. 

Adding a free domain to your account is easy. Go to your Website Manager > Structure > Custom Domain, and click on “Register Free Domain” to get started.  If you have any other questions, please review this FAQ on our help site, or contact our support team. 

Websites for Veterans

Squarespace is proud to be working with Syracuse University’s Students in Free Enterprise (SU SIFE), an international non-profit organization where students develop and apply their business skills to make a difference in the world. Their latest project, EVB-Web, is focused on helping graduates of the nationally-acclaimed Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) program build professional websites for their entrepreneurial ventures, with Squarespace donating our services. 

The EBV program is offered through a national consortium of business and hospitality schools to provide cutting-edge, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management for post-9/11 vets, opening the door to business ownership for those who have served our country.

Matthew Gartner, president of SU SIFE, told us: "One of the key challenges that these veterans face is being uninformed when it comes to setting up a website. Not knowing what to expect, or the appropriate costs of website design can cause many veterans to pay for more than necessary. The goal of the EBV-Web project is to help open up this market to them with higher quality websites at a reasonable cost. The Squarespace platform has been an incredible tool to help the veterans, and their pricing model results in an average cost savings of about 75% to the veterans."

We're thrilled to be able to help these veterans build their businesses by removing some of the obstacles of creating a high-quality website. We've sponsored websites for 11 veterans so far, whose businesses run the gamut from property management to financial services to barbecue-sauce manufacturing. We're excited to watch the program continue to grow.

Simplified Plans and Pricing

Today, Squarespace is pleased to announce new service plans and across-the-board price reductions which we are making immediately available to all customers.

In an ongoing effort to simplify our service, Squarespace now has only two service plans. We’ve also doubled discounts for annual purchases to 20%.

• Our new Standard plan, beginning at just $8/month (with annual purchase), is appropriate for personal blogs and small websites, and allows you to use a custom domain.
• Our new Unlimited plan, beginning at $16/month (with annual purchase), is perfect for business and personal sites of any size, and includes absolutely everything our powerful platform has to offer, including unlimited storage and bandwidth.

Visit our pricing page for all the details about the plans, their pricing, and their features.

Switching to one of our new plans is easy. Simply go to your Website Manager > Billing & Support > Account Center, and select the plan that best suits your needs. Please note that existing coupon codes won’t work with the new plans. Of course, if you are happy with your current plan, you don’t need to do anything and can keep any previously offered rate.

If you have any other questions, please review this FAQ page on our help site, or contact our support team. They’re available 24/7 and usually respond in well under an hour.