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So, yes and no. These approaches to blocking EU visitors do somewhat protect you from having to comply with GDPR. However, "targeting" can mean a lot of things.

by chomp 8y ago

So, yes and no. These approaches to blocking EU visitors do somewhat protect you from having to comply with GDPR. However, "targeting" can mean a lot of things. If you have global adsense campaigns that advertise your service for EU customers, you're still targeting those data subjects. If you end up sponsoring any events in the EU with your company name where people may be able to draw a connection between your service and it being available in the EU, you're still targeting those data subjects. I mean, if you write a blog post on your branded company blog about a subject you know people in the EU would care about (let's say you're selling $foo_service and you are musing about $foo_field in the EU) and it gets really popular in EU circles, one could say that you were really just targeting advertising to those data subjects (a stretch, but I don't like to leave things up to lawyers). Something like this needs to be a multi pronged approach - warnings displayed to EU customers, complete non-advertisement to EU sectors, and you should probably include terms of service as well. A single page insert does not completely cut it. A lot is left open to interpretation in this regulation, and you need to effectively black out any interaction you have with the EU.

fiatjaf 8y ago
Well, I imagine in your examples you're considering medium-sized businesses or larger. I'm thinking about smaller ones who will never sponsor an event on another continent.
matthewmacleod 8y ago
Something like this needs to be a multi pronged approach - warnings displayed to EU customers, complete non-advertisement to EU sectors, and you should probably include terms of service as well. Ironically, likely to be more work than not being an ass with customers' data in the first place.
- chomp 8y ago
  >Ironically, likely to be more work than not being an ass with customers' data in the first place. Your comment is pretty rude. Every business is going to have different things that work for them. Some businesses aren't going to have resources to get counseling and make changes to comply with the regulation. Some businesses don't exist in the EU and have no interest in servicing the EU (most businesses in the world), and want to make sure they aren't going to run afoul of GDPR. And, some people are upset that they're having to spend brain cycles on a law that heavily modifies business and tech processes, that was enacted in a foreign government, and had no elected representation to present their concerns. I think the amount of data leaks and irresponsible data handling that companies take part in nowadays is completely awful, and shows disregard for people's well being. I think that companies need to treat personal data as a liability instead of an asset. I think that companies that choose to forgo EU business are leaving a lot of money on the table and put themselves at a competitive disadvantage. I also think that companies in foreign countries should have the right to opt-out of doing business with whoever they want, and exempt themselves of regulation by not doing business in the host state. And no, "not being an ass with customers' data" is not going to be less work than the few steps necessary to exempt yourself from GDPR.

by chomp 8y ago

fiatjaf 8y ago

Well, I imagine in your examples you're considering medium-sized businesses or larger. I'm thinking about smaller ones who will never sponsor an event on another continent.

matthewmacleod 8y ago

Something like this needs to be a multi pronged approach - warnings displayed to EU customers, complete non-advertisement to EU sectors, and you should probably include terms of service as well. Ironically, likely to be more work than not being an ass with customers' data in the first place.

chomp 8y ago
>Ironically, likely to be more work than not being an ass with customers' data in the first place. Your comment is pretty rude. Every business is going to have different things that work for them. Some businesses aren't going to have resources to get counseling and make changes to comply with the regulation. Some businesses don't exist in the EU and have no interest in servicing the EU (most businesses in the world), and want to make sure they aren't going to run afoul of GDPR. And, some people are upset that they're having to spend brain cycles on a law that heavily modifies business and tech processes, that was enacted in a foreign government, and had no elected representation to present their concerns. I think the amount of data leaks and irresponsible data handling that companies take part in nowadays is completely awful, and shows disregard for people's well being. I think that companies need to treat personal data as a liability instead of an asset. I think that companies that choose to forgo EU business are leaving a lot of money on the table and put themselves at a competitive disadvantage. I also think that companies in foreign countries should have the right to opt-out of doing business with whoever they want, and exempt themselves of regulation by not doing business in the host state. And no, "not being an ass with customers' data" is not going to be less work than the few steps necessary to exempt yourself from GDPR.