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Sigh, this is what browsing the web in the EU looks like nowadays (2021)

mmazzarolo.com

41–50 of 197 posts

Re: Sigh, this is what browsing the web in the EU looks like nowadays (2021)

#41
Disclaimer: I actually click through the "do not consent" procedure, which tells a lot about what I'm about to say.

When the EU regulation came up, I was shocked that a single article was being shared with 100+ "partners". I knew it was bad, but I didn't know it was that bad. At least now I get the choice to opt-out. Sidenote: Google got fined for that pop-up because it should have a "do not accept" option [1].

Companies know they don't need those pop-ups. They are putting them there to anger you and demand for things to go back. Do you want to blame the EU for not anticipating that companies would act maliciously? Sounds fair to me. But don't let the companies off the hook for acting maliciously!

[1] https://www.taylorwessing.com/en/insights-and-events/insight...

Re: Sigh, this is what browsing the web in the EU looks like nowadays (2021)

#42
post #2

What could you possibly mean? Government made it so much better. How else would you know that the cookies (you're going to consent to anyway) are being put on your computer?

Yea, let's blame EU for websites spying on you If website uses cookies just for legit purposes (e.g auth, language choice), then it doesn't need to show cookie consent. Webmasters should get awarness on this or stop spying

So you’re a company with a web property. Your lawyers tell you you have two options:

1. Ensure that you’re perfectly abiding by all “legit purposes” and be prepared to update your policies and software each time those change, at the risk of huge fines. Or,

2. Just put an annoying banner up and have no risk.

Which do you do?

Government created this problem. Yes, it was in response to bad behavior from industry, but that doesn’t absolve the bureaucrats from responsibility for the results of their “solution”. If someone lights your kitchen on fire and the fire department’s response is to burn down the entire house, there is plenty of blame to go around.

Re: Sigh, this is what browsing the web in the EU looks like nowadays (2021)

#43
This is one of the reasons why Social Networks are eating websites. Most people get a bad experience browsing the internet. Yeah, I get it, we know Hacker News, and other good websites. But my dad just want to read news about sports and politics, it's much easier to do it through Facebook posts than to open a browser and get annoyed by ads, popups, etc. Same for young people: I can get fun with TikTok and YouTube, why should I go into that maze of websites that do not provide anything worth it?

Re: Sigh, this is what browsing the web in the EU looks like nowadays (2021)

#44
post #2

What could you possibly mean? Government made it so much better. How else would you know that the cookies (you're going to consent to anyway) are being put on your computer?

In my personal experience, people who hate the GDPR are typically not EU citizens. I am an EU citizen and I strongly approve of GDPR. Is it perfect? No. Is it a step in the right direction? Yes.

Re: Sigh, this is what browsing the web in the EU looks like nowadays (2021)

#45
post #2

What could you possibly mean? Government made it so much better. How else would you know that the cookies (you're going to consent to anyway) are being put on your computer?

Yea, let's blame EU for websites spying on you If website uses cookies just for legit purposes (e.g auth, language choice), then it doesn't need to show cookie consent. Webmasters should get awarness on this or stop spying

Is there anyone who actually consents for any other reason than the consent button being either to click than more options? Would we accept this kind of behavioural tracking in real life? Of course not.

Just ban tracking for advertising purposes entirely, or at the last least mandate that sites respect the do not track header and require browser manufacturers implement it as opt-in.

The cookie pop-up is a dumb law.

Re: Sigh, this is what browsing the web in the EU looks like nowadays (2021)

#46

I think most of the comments here right now are missing the point of OP's post. It's not about one thing in particular (cookie consent), just that the whole ordeal is full of ads and popups (one of which is the cookie consent popup). Most of this crap is the same everywhere, not just in the EU.

Thanks, that was my intention (back when I posted it). I added "from EU" just to make it clear—since people would have otherwise said "that's not how it works in the US :p"

Re: Sigh, this is what browsing the web in the EU looks like nowadays (2021)

#47
yes, it is a terrible experience...I personally think GDPR and thinking about user data is a great thing to have. But, the actual implementation is terribe. Like consent banner etc... I can tell 100% that whoever made this law is not a techie person. They wanted to solve a technical problem, like sharing user data without consent, through the law system that we used to...It would be a lot better if they forced this as a part of http protocol...So that we could have our pre-defined consent answers...I mean right now, we have no standart way to say no to any consent banner. You have to understand the consent banner, understand the options, evaluate them, and then process the outcome...You have to do this for all websites that you are visiting...

Yes, please fork http...EU, you can do that...I know it...

Re: Sigh, this is what browsing the web in the EU looks like nowadays (2021)

#48
post #15

I feel like a reasonable tweak to GDPR is to require that if a site has an "accept all" button, it needs an equally (or more) prominent "reject non-essential" button.

It's pretty much a requirement already. The website can't make it hard to reject or make it seem like accepting is the only way ahead. Many popular sites had made rejection easier after GDPR complaints (smaller ones often still didn't because nobody cared enough to complain, I guess).

Re: Sigh, this is what browsing the web in the EU looks like nowadays (2021)

#49
post #40
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just a guess, but even people that don't want to be tracked choose the easy "accept everything" button than spending the time to customize the tracking. If companies DoNotTrack, they will have fewer people opting-in for tracking.

> even people that don't want to be tracked choose the easy "accept everything" button The design of these consent forms is often so obscure I end up in some menu system with too much information I didn't want, and no hotkeys to go back except leave the website.

Nearly every single cookie pop up I have seen is provided by the exact same third party company. That cookie dialog has an option where you can have a simple "Reject all" button that you can click to reject all "not necessary" cookies and use the website.

It is the website owners fault when they choose not to turn that feature on.

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