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Instapaper is temporarily shutting off access for European users due to GDPR

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Re: Instapaper is temporarily shutting off access for European users due to GDPR

#11

Post by bthdonohue »

Angostura wrote: post #10
bthdonohue wrote: post #5

Hey all – Brian from Instapaper here. We worked really hard to try to avoid a service interruption in the EU, but unfortunately we were unable to. We continue to work hard to ensure that the service interruption is as brief as possible. Let me know if you have any questions...

> Let me know if you have any questions... It sounds as if you're unwilling to talk about the issues that you're facing. So what can you say? The only reason I can think of that you can't say is that are trying to get some infrastructure suppliers to be compliant and those talks are confidential. Correct?

The email we sent to EU users (quoted in linked article) has the important details regarding the service interruption in the EU.

Additionally, I can say that our privacy policy is concise, clear, and accurate with respect to the types of information we collect and how the data is used: https://www.instapaper.com/privacy

If you have other specific questions, I will do my best to answer them.

Re: Instapaper is temporarily shutting off access for European users due to GDPR

#12

Post by TomK32 »

wutbrodo wrote: post #6
mstolpm wrote: post #3

This is a terrible move. They had effectively years to prepare for the GDPR and they already have some sort of rudimentary export and delete options. This step removes all the trust in Instapaper that I had in the past: They either are mismanaged or are not willing to tell the users what data they are collecting and how they use and monetize this data. And it should worry all users, not only users from the EU.

> They either are mismanaged or are not willing to tell the users what data they are collecting and how they use and monetize this data. And it should worry all users, not only users from the EU. I don't know a ton about GDPR, but the article makes it look like it has less to do with Instapaper (aside from risk tolerance) and more to do with the ambiguity of the law. Some relevant quotes: > it’s more than likely to b…

An email-address to send requests to and someone setting up a process for those requests along with a definition of which data to be returned to the user, all that isn't hard to implement. GDPR has caused some panic that's unnecessary.

The violations won't be fined with 4%/€20m (€ not $) right away, there's more steps before that, starting with "a warning in writing in cases of first and non-intentional noncompliance"

Re: Instapaper is temporarily shutting off access for European users due to GDPR

#13

Post by oldcynic »

wutbrodo wrote: post #6
mstolpm wrote: post #3

This is a terrible move. They had effectively years to prepare for the GDPR and they already have some sort of rudimentary export and delete options. This step removes all the trust in Instapaper that I had in the past: They either are mismanaged or are not willing to tell the users what data they are collecting and how they use and monetize this data. And it should worry all users, not only users from the EU.

> They either are mismanaged or are not willing to tell the users what data they are collecting and how they use and monetize this data. And it should worry all users, not only users from the EU. I don't know a ton about GDPR, but the article makes it look like it has less to do with Instapaper (aside from risk tolerance) and more to do with the ambiguity of the law. Some relevant quotes: > it’s more than likely to b…

> because the fines are so steep — violating GDPR will cost a company

Will? The usual misinformation then.

Re: Instapaper is temporarily shutting off access for European users due to GDPR

#14

Post by thisisit »

wutbrodo wrote: post #6
mstolpm wrote: post #3

This is a terrible move. They had effectively years to prepare for the GDPR and they already have some sort of rudimentary export and delete options. This step removes all the trust in Instapaper that I had in the past: They either are mismanaged or are not willing to tell the users what data they are collecting and how they use and monetize this data. And it should worry all users, not only users from the EU.

> They either are mismanaged or are not willing to tell the users what data they are collecting and how they use and monetize this data. And it should worry all users, not only users from the EU. I don't know a ton about GDPR, but the article makes it look like it has less to do with Instapaper (aside from risk tolerance) and more to do with the ambiguity of the law. Some relevant quotes: > it’s more than likely to b…

>> violating GDPR will cost a company 4 percent of its global turnover or $20 million, whichever is larger

Isn't there a lower level - 2% and $10 million too?

https://www.itgovernance.co.uk/dpa-and-gdpr-penalties

Re: Instapaper is temporarily shutting off access for European users due to GDPR

#15

Post by TomK32 »

Fradow wrote: post #9

Obviously, IANAL, but my company talked to a few over the past week. This move is, in my opinion, a bad read on the odds and European culture. First, culture. The goal (at least in France, but that's probably the same in other countries) is to get you in compliance, NOT to fine you. What this means is that before you get lawsuit and fines, someone will talk to you and work with you to see how you can get compliant. S…

Wikipedia disagrees on the enforcement start and claims that is tomorrow.

But I agree with you, the way most interpret the regulation and its sanction is not how Europeans do laws. The "administrative fines up to ..." as you can read in the text http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELE... Those high fines are meant for large ill-meaning companies, but the small 2-ppl-SaaS that doesn't report or act on a data breach will get a slap on the wrist and a fine proportionally to their size.

Re: Instapaper is temporarily shutting off access for European users due to GDPR

#16

Post by bthdonohue »

djhworld wrote: post #8
wutbrodo wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They either are mismanaged or are not willing to tell the users what data they are collecting and how they use and monetize this data. And it should worry all users, not only users from the EU. I don't know a ton about GDPR, but the article makes it look like it has less to do with Instapaper (aside from risk tolerance) and more to do with the ambiguity of the law. Some relevant quotes: > it’s more than likely to b…

What...data are they collecting? It's a site that pins articles people have saved, the only piece of user data they should hold would be email address and maybe IP address? Simple to put in policies to expire the IP address data after a reasonable amount of time.

We detail the types of information we collect and how we use the data in our privacy policy here: https://www.instapaper.com/privacy

Re: Instapaper is temporarily shutting off access for European users due to GDPR

#17

Post by sebazzz »

Fradow wrote: post #9

Obviously, IANAL, but my company talked to a few over the past week. This move is, in my opinion, a bad read on the odds and European culture. First, culture. The goal (at least in France, but that's probably the same in other countries) is to get you in compliance, NOT to fine you. What this means is that before you get lawsuit and fines, someone will talk to you and work with you to see how you can get compliant. S…

As far as I understand the grace period was the last two years. Tomorrow is the big day.

But whether or not that it is true, I believe that if Europeans have used Instapaper and they now temporarily shut off access they still are not compliant and in violation of the law. Because they did serve Europeans, so they have their data.

Re: Instapaper is temporarily shutting off access for European users due to GDPR

#18

Post by zhdc1 »

Fradow wrote: post #9

Obviously, IANAL, but my company talked to a few over the past week. This move is, in my opinion, a bad read on the odds and European culture. First, culture. The goal (at least in France, but that's probably the same in other countries) is to get you in compliance, NOT to fine you. What this means is that before you get lawsuit and fines, someone will talk to you and work with you to see how you can get compliant. S…

'European' - e.g., EU - culture is still quite new in this regard, and plenty of companies have gotten very large fines for gross non compliance of other regulations/directives.

Since GDPR compliance is enforced by EU members, many small companies are exposed to (have customers in) most or all EU jurisdictions, and the EU is very heterogeneous when it comes to regulatory enforcement by member states, I think that they're correct to be worried about the ambiguity around the GDPR.

I'm not arguing against the GDPR - I'm in favor of data protection - but the if/ands/and buts (e.g., speculation) about who is going to get fined, and for how much, is uncomfortable.

Re: Instapaper is temporarily shutting off access for European users due to GDPR

#19

Post by yoz-y »

bthdonohue wrote: post #11
Angostura wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Let me know if you have any questions... It sounds as if you're unwilling to talk about the issues that you're facing. So what can you say? The only reason I can think of that you can't say is that are trying to get some infrastructure suppliers to be compliant and those talks are confidential. Correct?

The email we sent to EU users (quoted in linked article) has the important details regarding the service interruption in the EU. Additionally, I can say that our privacy policy is concise, clear, and accurate with respect to the types of information we collect and how the data is used: https://www.instapaper.com/privacy If you have other specific questions, I will do my best to answer them.

Weirdly enough I am an European citizen, haven't received the mail and the service is working.

Not complaining, I prefer it this way. Hope you will sort the issues quickly.

Re: Instapaper is temporarily shutting off access for European users due to GDPR

#20

Post by mantas »

bthdonohue wrote: post #5

Hey all – Brian from Instapaper here. We worked really hard to try to avoid a service interruption in the EU, but unfortunately we were unable to. We continue to work hard to ensure that the service interruption is as brief as possible. Let me know if you have any questions...

Are you hard-banning or is it possible to use it over VPN or in some other way? Asking for a friend!
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