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Consent-O-Matic: Automatic handling of GDPR consent forms

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Re: Consent-O-Matic: Automatic handling of GDPR consent forms

#21

Post by Cthulhu_ »

eternityforest wrote: post #17

I wish there was a standard browser API for this. If the law is going to force this to be a thing, and it's not going away, web standards should respond. It could even just be a flag in the cookie itself declaring that something isn't strictly necessary.

That's the main issue here; the EU mandated consent and gave guidelines on what that consent might look like, but they left implementation down to the industry, which decided to do it themselves (often using dark patterns, for which some companies already got fined) instead of integrating it in browsers.

I remember 20 odd years ago now when Firefox came out with a popup blocker standard, built-in. Whatever happened to this "we need to reduce annoyances on the internet" movement? Why aren't the browsers themselves doing more against it?

I mean I know that Chrome and Firefox won't block ads by default because it affects their bottom line (Chrome through Google ads, Firefox through Google money), but what about GDPR consent forms and newsletter sign-up popups?

Re: Consent-O-Matic: Automatic handling of GDPR consent forms

#22

Post by sdoering »

eternityforest wrote: post #17

I wish there was a standard browser API for this. If the law is going to force this to be a thing, and it's not going away, web standards should respond. It could even just be a flag in the cookie itself declaring that something isn't strictly necessary.

It can't be. At least not if you want to accept cookies. Declining is easy. You can just decline everything (technically) not necessary.

The problem is, that consent must be given freely and fully informed. And this is the catch. Automatic acceptance isn't fully informed and with that the consent isn't valid.

So it would put the companies in danger and therefore no company could honor this standard.

Sadly - as it would make live more easy. But it would be enough if companies would just not use dark patterns. If there is a banner the "Accept all" and the "Deny all" must be both be the same level of "easy-ness" and the same amounts of clicks (and wait time). Only if you want to you would need to dive into the detailed categories.

And even there: Most sites abuse "legitimate interest". Everything non essential should by default be inactive. But sadly it isn't.

Disclaimer: I am a data analyst/Web analyst. I do this stuff for a living for clients. Still I value these things highly. And would love for it to be implemented correctly.

Re: Consent-O-Matic: Automatic handling of GDPR consent forms

#23

Post by sdoering »

asah wrote: post #20

Related q: is there anyone choosing to accept all ? (Knowingly)

As my hosts-file and ad/script blocker are configured to block tracking and advertising I always click: Accept all.

This is by default the quickest way to get to the content. Without compromising privacy by using addons.

Re: Consent-O-Matic: Automatic handling of GDPR consent forms

#24

Post by endless1234 »

eternityforest wrote: post #17

I wish there was a standard browser API for this. If the law is going to force this to be a thing, and it's not going away, web standards should respond. It could even just be a flag in the cookie itself declaring that something isn't strictly necessary.

Like this? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Track

It was very ineffective.

Something similar but actually enforced (easier said than done) and utilized would be very nice indeed.

Re: Consent-O-Matic: Automatic handling of GDPR consent forms

#25

Post by pydry »

sdoering wrote: post #22
eternityforest wrote: post #17

I wish there was a standard browser API for this. If the law is going to force this to be a thing, and it's not going away, web standards should respond. It could even just be a flag in the cookie itself declaring that something isn't strictly necessary.

It can't be. At least not if you want to accept cookies. Declining is easy. You can just decline everything (technically) not necessary. The problem is, that consent must be given freely and fully informed. And this is the catch. Automatic acceptance isn't fully informed and with that the consent isn't valid. So it would put the companies in danger and therefore no company could honor this standard. Sadly - as it wou…

If you program a browser to consent for you that is no different to consenting yourself.

Just as writing and running an install script with --accept-tos is valid.

Re: Consent-O-Matic: Automatic handling of GDPR consent forms

#26

Post by sdoering »

Not sure what it should do, but after installing it it just did nothing on a few German news sites I tested it on. It also did nothing on my own site (using klaro.js). I would still have to click and do the same steps that I would have done without the plugin.

No idea what should have been the effect.

Re: Consent-O-Matic: Automatic handling of GDPR consent forms

#28

Post by zigzag312 »

sdoering wrote: post #26

Not sure what it should do, but after installing it it just did nothing on a few German news sites I tested it on. It also did nothing on my own site (using klaro.js). I would still have to click and do the same steps that I would have done without the plugin. No idea what should have been the effect.

You can click on extension icon and report that autofill didn't work on that website.

Currently it handles only some consent forms.

Re: Consent-O-Matic: Automatic handling of GDPR consent forms

#29

Post by radicalbyte »

sdoering wrote: post #22
eternityforest wrote: post #17

I wish there was a standard browser API for this. If the law is going to force this to be a thing, and it's not going away, web standards should respond. It could even just be a flag in the cookie itself declaring that something isn't strictly necessary.

It can't be. At least not if you want to accept cookies. Declining is easy. You can just decline everything (technically) not necessary. The problem is, that consent must be given freely and fully informed. And this is the catch. Automatic acceptance isn't fully informed and with that the consent isn't valid. So it would put the companies in danger and therefore no company could honor this standard. Sadly - as it wou…

It should literally be a setting in the browser - auto decline. That would make everyone's life a lot easier.

Re: Consent-O-Matic: Automatic handling of GDPR consent forms

#30

Post by radicalbyte »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #21
eternityforest wrote: post #17

I wish there was a standard browser API for this. If the law is going to force this to be a thing, and it's not going away, web standards should respond. It could even just be a flag in the cookie itself declaring that something isn't strictly necessary.

That's the main issue here; the EU mandated consent and gave guidelines on what that consent might look like, but they left implementation down to the industry, which decided to do it themselves (often using dark patterns, for which some companies already got fined) instead of integrating it in browsers. I remember 20 odd years ago now when Firefox came out with a popup blocker standard, built-in. Whatever happened t…

Google funded two of the three big browsers. That does a lot to kill innovation.
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