Because cookies count as personal data (which is pretty strange by itself... data the client stores that the server hands it is personal?), The need to gather c

Because cookies count as personal data (which is pretty strange by itself... data the client stores that the server hands it is personal?), The need to gather consent to store cookies on your machine became suddenly ubiquitous, and rather than cease to store them (which should have been a ridiculous expectation on its face... What, every website on the planet was going to audit how the cookies are used? Nobody's spending that money, and you can't just remove them without risking breaking some flow), companies went with the shortest path to continuing their current practices with no major changes, which was to pop a banner asking for your consent. That outcome should have been obvious and the fact that it wasn't does not inspire confidence in the people making these laws.