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Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

arstechnica.com

61–70 of 241 posts

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#61

Lol no. That is a great way to have the European Parliament and the Commission to have a thorough look into your data harvesting practices. And lose yet another lawsuit.

... and be punished with yet another 11.278 € fine, as if that would change anything.

“GDPR sets forth fines of up to 10 million euros, or, in the case of an undertaking, up to 2% of its entire global turnover of the preceding fiscal year, whichever is higher”

Generally speaking, GDPR violations won’t be addressed with a slap on the wrist, apparently

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#62
post #58
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In terms of Facebook where I live, "Well don't just use their services then" is simply impossible. Almost all of my kids' sports activities and parent groups are on WhatsApp, I have to use it.

"Simply impossible" is relative once you don't use whatsapp anymore. People will just adjust to send you sms or call you instead for important information.

In my experience this is not true at all, especially in huge groups. I was participating in a co-housing project and after a few weeks the obligatory WhatsApp Group was forming. Immediately some people refused to join and proposed Signal / Threema instead. End of the story, the WhatsApp Group is still alive and the biggest of them all. If you are not part of it you will miss important information. Sometimes it gets forwarded to Signal but it is a rare occurrence.

It only works reliable for messages directly addressed to a person. Then people remember, oh he does not have WhatsApp. I will tell him via signal.

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#63
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not using FB does not prevent Meta from tracking you.

It does, if you also use adblocker, disable js on certain sites, etc.

So it’s not the “not using FB” that prevents the tracking, then.

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#64
post #22
post #12

This is still a bit insane to me. If I understand correct, you have to fill a form with a justification why you object, and then Meta will decide if you can be removed from the detailed data collection ? Privacy is a basic human right, and the strawman argument of "Well don't just use their services then" is ridiculous with their influence. Also them touting to "connected the world" When in reality is "connecting to…

In terms of Facebook where I live, "Well don't just use their services then" is simply impossible. Almost all of my kids' sports activities and parent groups are on WhatsApp, I have to use it.

> Almost all of my kids' sports activities and parent groups are on WhatsApp, I have to use it.

My company asked me to install WhatsApp once, but I explained to them why I don't use it, and they didn't have a problem with it. Sometimes, all people need to know is 'no' and most of the time they don't even need an explanation.

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#65
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In terms of Facebook where I live, "Well don't just use their services then" is simply impossible. Almost all of my kids' sports activities and parent groups are on WhatsApp, I have to use it.

Even without the privacy issues it is insane that you are forced to do business with certain corporations in order to fully participate in society. But most people don't care or open alternatives would be more popular.

[deleted]

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#67
post #58
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In terms of Facebook where I live, "Well don't just use their services then" is simply impossible. Almost all of my kids' sports activities and parent groups are on WhatsApp, I have to use it.

"Simply impossible" is relative once you don't use whatsapp anymore. People will just adjust to send you sms or call you instead for important information.

> People will just adjust to send you sms or call you instead for important information.

Or they won't and you will be left out of things.

Not even out of malice! Obviously your closest friend and family will adapt and keep you in the loop. Bigger looser groups are more dubious. I'm a member of a book club for example. There are of course the scheduled meets, organised well in advance. But also sometimes someone just feels like hanging and posts a message on a whatsapp group that they will be at this or that location and whoever is free is welcome to join. Schedules don't always permit it, but when it works out it is fun!

Now of course if someone from the group so want to meet with specifically you/me they will remember to send a one-on-one message, but there is a power in the broadcast nature of some of these things for organisation.

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#68
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I see a pop-up, especially from "OneTrust", I immediately close the tab and re-open the site in Private/Incognito mode. There are some sites I just reflexively open that way. "Ars Technica" is but one example.

This includes the permission to link your behavior across "devices"? Iirc, it is quite trivial to link one Private-mode session to another.

Not without breaking said laws

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#69
post #58
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In terms of Facebook where I live, "Well don't just use their services then" is simply impossible. Almost all of my kids' sports activities and parent groups are on WhatsApp, I have to use it.

"Simply impossible" is relative once you don't use whatsapp anymore. People will just adjust to send you sms or call you instead for important information.

Anything involving a group is planned through WhatsApp here. It’s also used to push information to large group of people. It’s my main source of news about my extended family and how I learn about spontaneous after work gathering for example.

If I leave these, people are not going to reach out to me about them. I will just cast myself as an outsider and will be left out of the loop.

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#70
post #50
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If something is paid for- you're the product.

Interesting. How so?

Are there any indications that paying for Meta Verified opts you out of their data collection, since you've given them money instead?
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