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French watchdog fines Google, Amazon for breaching cookies rules

fr.reuters.com

41–50 of 144 posts

Re: French watchdog fines Google, Amazon for breaching cookies rules

#42
post #22

I can't help but feel that fines by countries of big corps is just so routine that it's probably part of the budget. Sure we see fines, but what happens to the money from the fines! Do they go to the users impacted - nope. Do changes happen as a result - slowly if at all. It's all kinda like some form of taxation upon the user/people as we all know any large fine upon a corporation - who ends up paying for it...the u…

> that fines by countries of big corps is just so routine

You get a fine contingent on not following the law, so... just follow the law? Fines need to be big for big corporations if they are to pose a risk worth avoiding.

> Do they go to the users impacted - nope.

As with any fine, it goes to government, which means that same expenditure requires less taxes. So it gets shared among all french population. Which is a good proxy for “users impacted by google cookies in France”.

> Do changes happen as a result - slowly if at all.

So if 2 companies are fined for not complying with a law, the problem is that the law is overly punishing / fining does not work? It would seem the other way, that the fine risk was not big enough!

> who ends up paying for it...the users/people..again.

Which are also the ones that receive the money, through their government.

Re: French watchdog fines Google, Amazon for breaching cookies rules

#44
post #39
post #34

Everybody is so focused on 'cookies' as if the technology itself was regulated. The web developers (or marketing agencies or whatever) are also slow to learn what proper data protection means, and slap popups and banners on everything, making the web disgusting and regulations seem misguided. A session cookie, especially after a login, may not require consent at all. Describe in your policy what personal data, if any…

This isn't about the technology used. The issue is that the tracking is not disclosed to the end-user at all.

That's the point GP is making. I think they're responding to some other comments in this thread (and threads like it), not to the article.

Re: French watchdog fines Google, Amazon for breaching cookies rules

#46
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If any browser vendor just pushed a trivial standard like X-Consent: no-cookies X-Consent: cookies-ok Sites would have gobbled that header up overnight, and the other browsers would have received substantial pressure to follow. But it's a missed beat by now, nobody is paying to have hundreds of thousands of web sites updated for such a thing even if it did exist. Sucks none of the major browser vendors are based in E…

Not quite sure if this is sarcasm ? The do not track header is about 10 years old, ans was promptly ignored by all websites DNT: 1 DNT: 0

Main difference is that Do Not Track was an industry incentive, not a legal requirement like the GDPR is. They could have made it legally binding, but they chose not to.

Re: French watchdog fines Google, Amazon for breaching cookies rules

#47
post #33

OT, but I feel people who care about this perhaps knows the answer. Is there a browser that pretends to accepts all cookies but never saves them?

I think there's no difference between never saving cookies and blocking all cookies. Most browsers have the option to block all cookies (just checked Safari and it's in the Privacy tab in settings).

Re: French watchdog fines Google, Amazon for breaching cookies rules

#48

""" When a user visited the page google.fr, an information banner displayed at the bottom of the page, with the following note “Privacy reminder from Google”, in front of which were two buttons: “Remind me later” and “Access now”. This banner did not provide the user with any information regarding cookies that had however already been placed on his or her computer when arriving on the site. The information was also n…

> Could someone try standing with a sign saying "A reminder from me" in the google offices reception for 2 minutes and then walk out with whatever wasn't bolted down to see if they themselves consider that an adequate way to ask for consent?

That would be hilarious. But I think they know what they are doing (i.e. using dark patterns).

I've seen this banner, knew it was related to the RGPD but haven't figured out how to opt out and to not accept.

Re: French watchdog fines Google, Amazon for breaching cookies rules

#49

I never understood why that EU regulation wasn't required at the browser level in the first place.

Because not all cookies are regulated (such as session cookies). It would be hard for browser to tell what the cookie is for.

Re: French watchdog fines Google, Amazon for breaching cookies rules

#50
post #27
post #22

I can't help but feel that fines by countries of big corps is just so routine that it's probably part of the budget. Sure we see fines, but what happens to the money from the fines! Do they go to the users impacted - nope. Do changes happen as a result - slowly if at all. It's all kinda like some form of taxation upon the user/people as we all know any large fine upon a corporation - who ends up paying for it...the u…

Right, I feel this is just a new source of income for governments. They seem to be too keen on handing out fines in those areas where it‘s simple to do so, but fail to act in other areas where the consumer is constantly being hurt e.g. right to repair, warranty laws, right to return digital products.

> fail to act in other areas where the consumer is constantly being hurt e.g. right to repair, warranty laws, right to return digital products.

This is the EU we’re talking about. It’s a bit weak on right to repair at the moment. But on warranties and digital product returns, we have some pretty strong and effective protections.

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