4 ms·

What a utter non-sense tone for the article! > Europe wants to conquer the world all over again. So Europe makes new regulations that improve the life of euro

What a utter non-sense tone for the article! > Europe wants to conquer the world all over again. So Europe makes new regulations that improve the life of european people and they try to spin it up as a global domination move. As a European I am really happy that I am more protected. If a company wants to make business with me I expect them to follow the local regulations! That is not a new world order plot, cmon. Stronger regulation some times is better when made with the citizens in mind, see the TTIP. Why would we (europeans) want to reduce our food quality regulations? Why wouldn't we want a better data protection? Specially after Equifax scandal, I am so happy that things are changing over Europe. Edit: specified better what I think is non-sense

matt4077 9y ago
> Europe wants to conquer the world all over again. Politico Europe is a pretty pro-EU publication, so it would indeed be worrying if they saw a return to colonisation. Luckily, the authors are just employing what's called a metaphor. The last sentence arguably does a better job of summing up the article's thesis: “This is part of Europe’s exporting its soft power,” said Kuner, the co-chair of the Brussels Privacy Hub. “In terms of regulatory influence, Europe is definitely a superpower.”
willow9886 9y ago
This is just one line in the article--it's meant to grab the readers attention. The rest of the article provides real substance. Silly to claim the who article is nonsense based on one line.
- franciscop 9y ago
  I would have thought the same if the rest of the article didn't try to prove how it is a world domination move (just a few examples): > Data protection is a good example of Europe trying to extend its influence over other countries > In response, legislators worldwide are scrambling to update their domestic legislation > the upcoming data protection changes risks being viewed as yet another diktat handed down by former colonial powers in > We’re already seeing a number of countries falling in line with Europe
  - woodandsteel 9y ago
    So you think the present state of data protection laws in the various countries of the world, including the US, is just fine? Or if you think, like any sane person, that it is simply awful, then do you think it could get fixed by any other means than what the EU is doing? My guess is you work for someone like Facebook that wants to keep things the same, and doesn't care what damage that causes.
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
    - dang 9y ago
      > My guess is you work for That crosses into personal attack, which is not allowed here. Please read https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and don't do this again.
mirko22 9y ago
More protected? I guess that is one way of looking at it. Like the law about the cookie popup. Brings nothing of value but you can get in trouble if you don’t have it, does it make you feel more protected? I mostly see this as a way to fine big companies and put some money in the pocket. Also like with tax and other laws if the enforcement is delegated to the members we will have same situation like we do now with tax in Ireland or the way Volkswagen and Co. put their cars to sales first in specific countries to bypass German standards. A lot of this also makes no sense from technology perspective, it would be easier to force browsers not to accept 3rd party cookies then to make me ruin user experience cos i have a youtube video embedded in the site. EU learned a lot how to be a nanny state from Germans, which in a way and kills a lot of freedoms under guise of security... But I for one would rarely sacrifice freedom for security...
- Barrin92 9y ago
  Really trying to tick off all the buzzwords in this one, eh? Only thing missing is probably "live free or die" while an eagle flies through the scenery. The EU law aims at giving citizens in the European Union more control over their own data. They should be informed what a company does with their personal information and they should need to consent to it. In other words, they have a right to make a transparent, informed decision. I don't know what this has to do with nanny states or taking away anybody's freedom. In fact this is a great tool to give individuals freedom and ownership over their data. For example Uber has a long time habit on trying to get drivers to do what they want by using their information in ways that drivers are likely not aware of. The goal of legislation in the future must be to empower those drivers to be conscious of this and have a right to demand in what way information is used to control them. I don't want to end up in a world of nanny businesses because we're too afraid to legislate them.
  - mirko22 9y ago
    Buzzwords... like empowering? One example is that now my websites need to have full screen agreement popup for each 3rd party cookie which will not help anyone do anything. You can already set 3rd party cookie preferences in browser. Do you think think this will stop data collection and mining in anyway? These kinda a laws is why germany has no free wifi anywhere cos owner gets fined for anything that happens on his wifi... so good luck to find decent hotspot in Berlin for example... There should be regulations but when they are too stiff they don’t help anyone in this case
nudpiedo 9y ago
I think you got off at the tangent... the article is about the global influence in the legislation of pro-privacy laws and regulations, "conquering the world" was probably just a metaphoric joke which the author insisted way too much. Definitely the new rules had their global impact without being that a conquer.
Feniks 9y ago
American companies are kinda pissed, but they can always decline to do business here. Unlike the US the European Union doesn't claim to police the world.

matt4077 9y ago

> Europe wants to conquer the world all over again. Politico Europe is a pretty pro-EU publication, so it would indeed be worrying if they saw a return to colonisation. Luckily, the authors are just employing what's called a metaphor. The last sentence arguably does a better job of summing up the article's thesis: “This is part of Europe’s exporting its soft power,” said Kuner, the co-chair of the Brussels Privacy Hub. “In terms of regulatory influence, Europe is definitely a superpower.”

willow9886 9y ago

This is just one line in the article--it's meant to grab the readers attention. The rest of the article provides real substance. Silly to claim the who article is nonsense based on one line.

franciscop 9y ago
I would have thought the same if the rest of the article didn't try to prove how it is a world domination move (just a few examples): > Data protection is a good example of Europe trying to extend its influence over other countries > In response, legislators worldwide are scrambling to update their domestic legislation > the upcoming data protection changes risks being viewed as yet another diktat handed down by former colonial powers in > We’re already seeing a number of countries falling in line with Europe
- woodandsteel 9y ago
  So you think the present state of data protection laws in the various countries of the world, including the US, is just fine? Or if you think, like any sane person, that it is simply awful, then do you think it could get fixed by any other means than what the EU is doing? My guess is you work for someone like Facebook that wants to keep things the same, and doesn't care what damage that causes.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
  - dang 9y ago
    > My guess is you work for That crosses into personal attack, which is not allowed here. Please read https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and don't do this again.

mirko22 9y ago

More protected? I guess that is one way of looking at it. Like the law about the cookie popup. Brings nothing of value but you can get in trouble if you don’t have it, does it make you feel more protected? I mostly see this as a way to fine big companies and put some money in the pocket. Also like with tax and other laws if the enforcement is delegated to the members we will have same situation like we do now with tax in Ireland or the way Volkswagen and Co. put their cars to sales first in specific countries to bypass German standards. A lot of this also makes no sense from technology perspective, it would be easier to force browsers not to accept 3rd party cookies then to make me ruin user experience cos i have a youtube video embedded in the site. EU learned a lot how to be a nanny state from Germans, which in a way and kills a lot of freedoms under guise of security... But I for one would rarely sacrifice freedom for security...

Barrin92 9y ago
Really trying to tick off all the buzzwords in this one, eh? Only thing missing is probably "live free or die" while an eagle flies through the scenery. The EU law aims at giving citizens in the European Union more control over their own data. They should be informed what a company does with their personal information and they should need to consent to it. In other words, they have a right to make a transparent, informed decision. I don't know what this has to do with nanny states or taking away anybody's freedom. In fact this is a great tool to give individuals freedom and ownership over their data. For example Uber has a long time habit on trying to get drivers to do what they want by using their information in ways that drivers are likely not aware of. The goal of legislation in the future must be to empower those drivers to be conscious of this and have a right to demand in what way information is used to control them. I don't want to end up in a world of nanny businesses because we're too afraid to legislate them.
- mirko22 9y ago
  Buzzwords... like empowering? One example is that now my websites need to have full screen agreement popup for each 3rd party cookie which will not help anyone do anything. You can already set 3rd party cookie preferences in browser. Do you think think this will stop data collection and mining in anyway? These kinda a laws is why germany has no free wifi anywhere cos owner gets fined for anything that happens on his wifi... so good luck to find decent hotspot in Berlin for example... There should be regulations but when they are too stiff they don’t help anyone in this case

nudpiedo 9y ago

I think you got off at the tangent... the article is about the global influence in the legislation of pro-privacy laws and regulations, "conquering the world" was probably just a metaphoric joke which the author insisted way too much. Definitely the new rules had their global impact without being that a conquer.

Feniks 9y ago

American companies are kinda pissed, but they can always decline to do business here. Unlike the US the European Union doesn't claim to police the world.