Cookies? No thanks!
Some years ago I decided to completely turn off cookies on my website. I don't use them for tracking, analytics, or any other purpose.
The reasons are obvious: more privacy for my visitors, less complexity in my code, less maintenance for me, and less bureaucracy and legal stuff to worry about. It's as simple as that.
Wait, what about...
Ok, ok, there are some minor exceptions.
The search box on top, for example. But it's just a link to the Google search engine, with an added q=[YOUR SEARCH TEXT HERE] parameter. That's it. No tracking, no analytics, no cookies.
I also sometimes insert referral links to Amazon items, registration pages, and similar. I don't track those clicks myself, but once you land on their turf, you're fair game for their tracking, not mine.
I occasionally sell accompanying material for an article through my FourthWall e-Shop.
Since I'm not tracking shares either, if you like an article and want to pass it along on your social feed — go for it. I'd genuinely be happy if you did.
Thank you, Dimitri