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Short-Run Effects of GDPR on Technology Venture Investment

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Re: Short-Run Effects of GDPR on Technology Venture Investment

#21

Post by icebraining »

ginko wrote: post #19
virmundi wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m interested in how the vagraties of the law plays out. I’m working on software that won’t use ads or CDNs. All traffic terminates with my system. I will use cookies. I have no intent on putting up one of those cookie notification banner. All data I collect is to run the site. While that is valid under GDPR, I bet the EU will come a knockin for a fine if the site gets big enough

>While that is valid under GDPR, I bet the EU will come a knockin for a fine if the site gets big enough Why would you think so?

Yeah, has the EU actually fined any company that wasn't playing fast and loose with people's data? There's someone keeping a list[1], and they seem pretty reasonable to me.

[1] https://www.nathantrust.com/gdpr-fines-penalties

Re: Short-Run Effects of GDPR on Technology Venture Investment

#22

Post by lagadu »

cartep wrote: post #20
mellett68 wrote: post #11

It's fun when people complain about having to handle personal data properly and not to collect more than they need. Bad luck, be responsible.

The main defense against tracking used to be (in addition to more modern anti-tracking features) to configure the browser to remove cookies when exiting it. With the big dialogs that one systematically finds at websites now, in practice you are being forced to accept those cookies, if only to avoid seeing those monster dialogs again. So in practice the EU is massively driving people to accept permanent cookies. That'…

The cookies dialogs have nothing to do with GDPR.

Re: Short-Run Effects of GDPR on Technology Venture Investment

#23

Post by Mary-Jane »

Carpetsmoker wrote: post #13
SmellyGeekBoy wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Considering "the economy" determines whether or not we can eat, have somewhere to live, get access to healthcare etc. (rightly or wrongly), I'd say it's pretty central to everything that we do as a species.

Facebook isn't contributing one iota to any of these things, and neither are most tech/internet companies. Whether or not we can eat is determined by farmers, truck drivers, distribution centre workers, store clerks, etc. Whether or not we have somewhere to live is determined by construction workers, electricians, plumbers, engineers, etc. Access to health care is determined by doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc. All…

Is this perspective so pervasive on this forum that no one's going to challenge these incredibly naive statements? The economy is intertwined with virtually all parts dependent on or at least benefiting from the others. Software contributes to increased efficiencies all across the economy; from food production to fuel consumption to medical diagnosis the world would be demonstrably worse of without it (and the people who wrote it).

Re: Short-Run Effects of GDPR on Technology Venture Investment

#24

Post by ndnxhs »

virmundi wrote: post #14
mellett68 wrote: post #11

It's fun when people complain about having to handle personal data properly and not to collect more than they need. Bad luck, be responsible.

I’m interested in how the vagraties of the law plays out. I’m working on software that won’t use ads or CDNs. All traffic terminates with my system. I will use cookies. I have no intent on putting up one of those cookie notification banner. All data I collect is to run the site. While that is valid under GDPR, I bet the EU will come a knockin for a fine if the site gets big enough

The cookie banner is only needed for 3rd party cookies.

Re: Short-Run Effects of GDPR on Technology Venture Investment

#26

Post by phatfish »

germanyhater wrote: post #8

EU is a nightmare for any startup. Instead of developing new products, you have to spend >50% of your time just to comply with all those laws. and it keeps coming. Soon, every company will also be required to build copyright filter for all uploaded media files (content-id)...

I trust the EU to respect my rights far more than some startup trying to get an exit as fast a possible.

If they get bankrupted by a GDPR fine then their business model needs a review.

Re: Short-Run Effects of GDPR on Technology Venture Investment

#27

Post by ndnxhs »

germanyhater wrote: post #8

EU is a nightmare for any startup. Instead of developing new products, you have to spend >50% of your time just to comply with all those laws. and it keeps coming. Soon, every company will also be required to build copyright filter for all uploaded media files (content-id)...

Building codes are a nightmare. Instead of building bridges you have to spent >50% of your time complying with these laws.

Food safety laws are a nightmare. Instead of serving dishes you have to spend >50% of your time making sure the kitchen is clean and food is uncontaminated.

Re: Short-Run Effects of GDPR on Technology Venture Investment

#28

Post by virmundi »

ginko wrote: post #19
virmundi wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m interested in how the vagraties of the law plays out. I’m working on software that won’t use ads or CDNs. All traffic terminates with my system. I will use cookies. I have no intent on putting up one of those cookie notification banner. All data I collect is to run the site. While that is valid under GDPR, I bet the EU will come a knockin for a fine if the site gets big enough

>While that is valid under GDPR, I bet the EU will come a knockin for a fine if the site gets big enough Why would you think so?

I don't trust the EU. They seem to go after companies with deep pockets when they need money. Look at the Google Android controversy lately. Nokia, any EU phone creator (are there any?), any EU phone creator that wants to get in the market can all create a phone that is not Android. Google traded the OS for install preference rather than money. It's called bartering. The EU let this go for years. Now Alphabet has money and no one in the EU stepped up to take on Android, so the EU wants its pound of flesh.

Will my project run afoul of the 3rd party rules? No. May I have to spend money on legal protection from the EU when they erroneously come asking for money? Maybe. This is my issue. I don't know. The EU says it has policing power across the globe. If an EU citizen steps foot in the sovereign territory of another country, the EU says that all their privacy laws apply.

Re: Short-Run Effects of GDPR on Technology Venture Investment

#30

Post by goo »

ndnxhs wrote: post #27
germanyhater wrote: post #8

EU is a nightmare for any startup. Instead of developing new products, you have to spend >50% of your time just to comply with all those laws. and it keeps coming. Soon, every company will also be required to build copyright filter for all uploaded media files (content-id)...

Building codes are a nightmare. Instead of building bridges you have to spent >50% of your time complying with these laws. Food safety laws are a nightmare. Instead of serving dishes you have to spend >50% of your time making sure the kitchen is clean and food is uncontaminated.

Although I think you're trying to use these examples to highlight that regulation can indeed be valuable (and to insinuate that such an idea should be obvious to anyone), I think that even these examples have subtlety. See the following article for an interesting exploration of how building regulations contribute substantially to urban blight in America: https://granolashotgun.com/2017/11/13/mind-the-gap-2/
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