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TikTok hit with consumer law breaches complaints across Europe

reuters.com

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Re: TikTok hit with consumer law breaches complaints across Europe

#151

Post by dheera »

newswasboring wrote: post #97
stingraycharles wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But the worst offenders just have a simple “we use cookies” banner; the ones that give you the most choice are often more intrusive.

The best are ones which just give reject all cookies option (of course they still use strictly functional cookies). And I always thought that is how it should be, both extremes should be equally easy to choose.

Most of those "strictly functional" cookies aren't strictly functional either.

I block ALL cookies and many of those sites with "strictly functional" cookies still function, which means that those cookies aren't necessary.

Re: TikTok hit with consumer law breaches complaints across Europe

#152

Post by unicornporn »

iFreilicht wrote: post #28
tjoff wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As clear as can be yes. Now you know which websites are willing to absolutely ruin your experience just to abuse you. The implications can be seen pretty much everywhere in society, it is a momentous step in the right direction.

Exactly, this just brings to light how little most companies care about their customers. Not saying the legislation couldn't be improved, though.

What would you improve?

I think what happened when brexit went into full effect was pretty telling. Both Facebook and Google were on their toes to get back to abusing the data of UK citizens. There's much to be gained.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/dec/15/facebook-...

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-google-privacy-eu-exclusi...

Re: TikTok hit with consumer law breaches complaints across Europe

#153

Post by smoldesu »

swagonomixxx wrote: post #61
DangerousPie wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Honestly Google should have just boycotted Europe for a week and seen how well everyone handles not having gmail, google, or anything. I think the EU would have loved that. There are perfectly viable alternatives to pretty much everything that Google offers, some of which created in Europe. They just never gain any traction because it's convenient to just use Google for everything. I still use Gmail and Google Cale…

Out of curiosity, what are the European alternatives to GSuite?

Spinning up a Nextcloud instance for $5 a month will replace almost everything that Google did in your life, as well as giving you a lot more granular control over your data.

Re: TikTok hit with consumer law breaches complaints across Europe

#154

Post by nicbou »

djohnston wrote: post #9

As I click my 10,000th cookie modal to read this article, I am forced to ask if this legislation has made my web experience better in any way, to which the answer is a resounding no. I understand the importance of it, but please prioritise revising its shortcomings rather than doubling down on being the most tech-hostile region in the developed world.

Since this law came in effect, I'm allowed to opt out of tracking, download my data, and request its deletion. If that wasn't the case, that data would still be held hostage by various services.

Re: TikTok hit with consumer law breaches complaints across Europe

#155

Post by nicbou »

ineedasername wrote: post #73
Nextgrid wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem isn't the legislation but its lack of enforcement. The legislation itself explicitly prohibits annoying/misleading consent prompts.

Having to go through a menu of a few dozen items to see & choose what you'll allow to track you is annoying, but so long as sites are willing to track you in dozens of different ways there's really no way around it. Sites win because exercising your privacy rights even under the GDPR is an inherently annoying thing to do.

There's a way around it: uBlock Origin, a few extra filter lists, and a block on third party cookies.

Re: TikTok hit with consumer law breaches complaints across Europe

#156

Post by XCSme »

stale2002 wrote: post #141
slavak wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then don't place cookies that aren't necessary for the delivery of your service. There, problem solved! If invading your users' privacy is more important than your site's user experience, then the blame is on you, not the legislation.

No, legislators don't get to ignore the unintended consequences of the laws that they implement. This applies to all laws that are passed. It is a frequent criticism and problem, of laws, is that there are often unintended consequences. And that is the fault of the law, that they did not consider the unintended consequences.

I agree, don't publish a law that you can't or don't know how to enforce.

What they should have done is made a public tool that checks your website and says: yes this site is GDPR compliant or no, it is not because A,B,C.

Re: TikTok hit with consumer law breaches complaints across Europe

#157

Post by [deleted] »

forgotmypw17 wrote: post #98

I recently spoke with an older brother of a young man, about 13, who is heavily addicted to TikTok. His brother told me that he has been skipping school to stay on his phone, and that when his phone is taken away, he flies into a screaming rage, and runs down the street barefoot.

[deleted]

Re: TikTok hit with consumer law breaches complaints across Europe

#158

Post by sva_ »

forgotmypw17 wrote: post #98

I recently spoke with an older brother of a young man, about 13, who is heavily addicted to TikTok. His brother told me that he has been skipping school to stay on his phone, and that when his phone is taken away, he flies into a screaming rage, and runs down the street barefoot.

I don't know, but don't you think perhaps there's a reason other than being addicted to an app that makes said younger brother want to be hooked to his phone all day, avoiding things like school? Perhaps it's just an avenue to escape something.

Re: TikTok hit with consumer law breaches complaints across Europe

#159

Post by sva_ »

djohnston wrote: post #9

As I click my 10,000th cookie modal to read this article, I am forced to ask if this legislation has made my web experience better in any way, to which the answer is a resounding no. I understand the importance of it, but please prioritise revising its shortcomings rather than doubling down on being the most tech-hostile region in the developed world.

I think that they should've included something into the law, that makes it possible for a browser to automatically signify how a user wants their data to be used; for browsers to offer some interface to control these choices, and force websites to automatically accept these choices. I'm hopeful something like that will come around sometime. I think some browser (looking at firefox or brave here) needs to perhaps offer such an interface first, so that legislators could pick it up and make a law that'll make it possible to enforce compliance.

Re: TikTok hit with consumer law breaches complaints across Europe

#160

Post by iFreilicht »

unicornporn wrote: post #152
iFreilicht wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly, this just brings to light how little most companies care about their customers. Not saying the legislation couldn't be improved, though.

What would you improve? I think what happened when brexit went into full effect was pretty telling. Both Facebook and Google were on their toes to get back to abusing the data of UK citizens. There's much to be gained. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/dec/15/facebook-... https://www.reuters.com/article/us-google-privacy-eu-exclusi...

That was meant more as a preliminary defense as I saw other people complain and don’t know enough to defend the specific legislation.

But damn, that is indeed a pretty good indicator that it’s working as intended.

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