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I'm so incredibly grateful that the EU is really trying to fix the internet. Also grateful to organization like the EFF that try to do the same. I recently became a donor as I think their work really is critical.
Can you believe the shit these companies would do if it wasn't for the EU and their regulation? It'd be a dystopia (well, more than it already is at least).
As much as I like the concept of GDPR, i think it didn't fo far enough. EU tried, but they should've thought it through a few more times. For example I would've loved for the cookie warning to have a mandated "No to everything, get fucked, and never ask about access from this IP again."-button
Essentially that's mandated. Companies don't do it... But that is the law. And they can store a cookie with that info without requiring permission as it is essential to performing that action.
I was actually not aware of that. Is there a way we can report them or force them into compliance somehow?
I thought this article was a good, brief discussion on cookie banners. The summary is that the EU didn't mandate cookie banners, just acquiring consent. And they forbid common dark patterns making the "no" option more difficult to submit. It's the tech industry that settled on the terrible banners, and many of them (most?) don't actually conform to the law's requirements.
A great thing about the banners is that it's not immediately obvious to everyone that websites are trying to track their every step online. The banners are annoying, but at least it pushes the tech industry to play with open cards.
You can complain with your local data protection agency.
Basically the law is that rejecting cookies must be exactly as easy as accepting them, so if there's an "accept all" button, there also has to be a "reject all" button right next to it, same size, same visibility.
Bro that is mandated already in the law goddamn
It is mandated. The companies are simply violating the rules.
Those banners are the perfect example of malicious compliance! The data collecting companies did their best to barely comply but in the most annoying way. Just to point out, that it is the GDPRs/EUs fault your internet browsing experience got so much worse!
I highly recommend at least using the content blocker uBlock Origin!
More info at privacyguides.org (alt domain).
User guide explaining the blocking modes.
Fellow donor! Glad to hear it.
In addition to donating directly, fellow video games enjoyer can support the EFF by just buying games at humble bundle store and choosing EFF as the supported charity.
Unfortunately in the next EU elections the far right is set to win big. Big data is living is fingers. Remember to vote people.
Their win is not that huge as far as current projections go. They'll grow, but the likely coalition is the current one.
I feel like polls always underestimate the popularity of the far-right. Look at the latest election in NL for example - all the media was reporting that it was a 3-way race between NSC, PvdA/GL and VVD. PVV was projected a distant 4th and was practically forgotten about. Of course, we all know the result - PVV beat each of them by almost 10%!!!
So really, people need to stop believing so much in those stupid fucking polls and projections. The far-right is real and needs to be taken very seriously. Assume that they'll always get 10% minimum more than projections say.
The polls were accurate, but right near the end YesilgΓΆz made the critical mistake of publicly stating she'd be willing to work with the PVV. This catapulted the PVV to the top, as he was suddenly a viable alternative to VVD/NSC/BBB for a lot of voters.
We saw this sudden rise in the polls as well, with the PVV suddenly in first right before the election. And that prospect, the PVV being the largest, drew in some more voters to them.
Polls are projections, but they can't factor in unforeseen events between the poll and the election.
Polls are generally accurate its just that right wing voters tend to to be far less divided than left wing voters. As a result most countries end up with a party somewhat further right than the average beliefs of the population as a whole.
Still, going out to vote is important.
Us dutchies thought the far right wasn't going to win big until they did
I recently read this article by Baldur Bjarnason about Apple continuously misinterpreting the DMA. It's has a rather cynical opinion of the EU but I liked how it tries to explain the actions Apple has recently taken. If Apple can't bully the EU into into allowing their bullshit, Meta and big tech companies wont fare any better.