What's new? Automattic is making an interesting company acquisition, the next major WP update is being planned and WordCamp Stuttgart is just around the corner. In addition, a German study on cookie banners produces exciting results and we show what a legally compliant cookie notice should look like. In addition, our content manager Michael gives us an insight into his remote work.

Cookie banners, but do it right! These 7 things you should consider

So-called "cookie banners" are now available in all kinds of designs. On some websites, a small pop-up window merely indicates that (unspecified) "cookies" are being set. In other places, you will see a list of various cookies that you can accept or reject using checkboxes. Lawyer Mario Steinberg reveals what a legally compliant cookie notice should actually look like. And we have summarised the results of a current study on cookie banners for you.

The most important plugins for WooCommerce: GDPR, Newsletter & Co.

There are countless plugins for your WooCommerce shop - for every conceivable purpose. The variety of extensions is a great advantage of WordPress and WooCommerce. You don't have to hire external developers for every special function you want. However, it is not so easy to assess the quality of the plugins. We present the most important tools (including free alternatives) that you need for common shop projects.

Remote work: advantages & disadvantages for employees and employers

Our Content & WooCommerce Manager Michael has been working completely from home for nine years. First he was self-employed, then a part-time employee: "Personally, I couldn't go back to an office. At the same time, I know the challenges of remote work or temporary home office." He reveals the advantages and disadvantages of working remotely for employees, agencies and companies in his personal experience report.

WordPress

Automattic buys Tumblr blog platform
Matt Mullenweg - CEO of Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com - announced the acquisition of the microblogging platform on his Tumblr blog. Many headlines in the ensuing coverage equated WordPress.com with "WordPress." This typical mistake has led to displeasure in the open source WP community.

WordPress 5.3 in the starting blocks
The new major WordPress version 5.3 should be released later this year. The current plan is to make the first beta version available as early as the end of September. You can read about the proposed features that the major update will bring to WP core in this post.

WordCamp Stuttgart starts ticket sales
WordCamp Stuttgart 2019 will take place from November 8 to 10 in the castle of the University of Hohenheim. We are very excited to be there as a Gold Sponsor. You don't want to miss the WCSTG? Then secure your ticket now! We are also looking for speakers and volunteers.

Security

Beware of the plugin "WP Security"
A malicious WordPressplugin, which bears the deceptive name "WP Security", caused a stir last week. The malicious plugin infiltrates your website and encrypts its content. As always, you can protect yourself from data loss with regular backups.

Contributed image: Raidboxes
Additional images: Emily Wilson | Unsplash, Todd Quackenbush | Unsplash, Raidboxes