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"The bill also requires companies to offer people the same communications services whether or not they agree to have their data collected." This is the most in

by sqdbps 8y ago

"The bill also requires companies to offer people the same communications services whether or not they agree to have their data collected." This is the most insane part of this clueless and destructive law. It's like europe has resigned to the notion that they don't have a significant internet company so they are determined to destroy the whole industry. They don't seem to be as petty or as prolific in churning out regulations and limitations on other industries.

Latty 8y ago
Or maybe people have realised this business model is dangerous and damaging and we are better off going to alternatives? Companies can simply start charging for services rather than selling data in the EU, if it's really that bad. Personally, as a British person, I fear companies doing bad things far more than I fear the government overstepping with regulation. People have been making these same claims about regulation destroying industries for some time, and it never actually happens. Instead, most of the time they actually end up being good.
- sqdbps 8y ago
  They don't 'sell data' they show you ads based on relevant data, it's a deliberate mistake that defeats the argument. The major issue here is that user consent won't be sufficient anymore, I don't mind the business model in question and I'm not alone so let us have it, and those who won't consent they're free to take their business elsewhere. This degree of micro managing the industry is unprecedented in a supposed free market system, and ad targeting is far from only benefit to the data, it's just potential killing legislation.
  - dmitriid 8y ago
    > They don't 'sell data' they show you ads based on relevant data What they do to show these ads is to sell your data, wholesale.
    - xxpor 8y ago
      Which isn't even close to being the same thing.
      - dmitriid 8y ago
        They literally send your data to an exchange where the highest bidder wins the right to display an ad.
  - Latty 8y ago
    > They don't 'sell data' they show you ads based on relevant data, it's a deliberate mistake that defeats the argument. It is still the user's data being shipped off to third parties they don't know anything about, and used to do things they didn't agree up-front to. > The major issue here is that user consent won't be sufficient anymore, I don't mind the business model in question and I'm not alone so let us have it, and those who won't consent they're free to take their business elsewhere. This degree of micro managing the industry is unprecedented in a supposed free market system, and ad targeting is far from only benefit to the data, it's just potential killing legislation. Unprecedented? Maybe in the US, but not elsewhere. I'm in the UK, and we have strict regulation over the cigarette industry, for example. Advertising is restricted, as is packaging. I assume the response will be that there is proven harm that cigarettes do, and advertising isn't comparable, and I would agree it's not as damaging, but that's an extremely low bar to aim for. The reality is that "taking your business elsewhere" isn't always possible - monopolies, walled gardens, etc... are rampant. The current state of the market shows that there simple are not equivalent versions of all products that don't harvest your data.

by sqdbps 8y ago

Latty 8y ago

Or maybe people have realised this business model is dangerous and damaging and we are better off going to alternatives? Companies can simply start charging for services rather than selling data in the EU, if it's really that bad. Personally, as a British person, I fear companies doing bad things far more than I fear the government overstepping with regulation. People have been making these same claims about regulation destroying industries for some time, and it never actually happens. Instead, most of the time they actually end up being good.

sqdbps 8y ago
They don't 'sell data' they show you ads based on relevant data, it's a deliberate mistake that defeats the argument. The major issue here is that user consent won't be sufficient anymore, I don't mind the business model in question and I'm not alone so let us have it, and those who won't consent they're free to take their business elsewhere. This degree of micro managing the industry is unprecedented in a supposed free market system, and ad targeting is far from only benefit to the data, it's just potential killing legislation.
- dmitriid 8y ago
  > They don't 'sell data' they show you ads based on relevant data What they do to show these ads is to sell your data, wholesale.
  - xxpor 8y ago
    Which isn't even close to being the same thing.
    - dmitriid 8y ago
      They literally send your data to an exchange where the highest bidder wins the right to display an ad.
- Latty 8y ago
  > They don't 'sell data' they show you ads based on relevant data, it's a deliberate mistake that defeats the argument. It is still the user's data being shipped off to third parties they don't know anything about, and used to do things they didn't agree up-front to. > The major issue here is that user consent won't be sufficient anymore, I don't mind the business model in question and I'm not alone so let us have it, and those who won't consent they're free to take their business elsewhere. This degree of micro managing the industry is unprecedented in a supposed free market system, and ad targeting is far from only benefit to the data, it's just potential killing legislation. Unprecedented? Maybe in the US, but not elsewhere. I'm in the UK, and we have strict regulation over the cigarette industry, for example. Advertising is restricted, as is packaging. I assume the response will be that there is proven harm that cigarettes do, and advertising isn't comparable, and I would agree it's not as damaging, but that's an extremely low bar to aim for. The reality is that "taking your business elsewhere" isn't always possible - monopolies, walled gardens, etc... are rampant. The current state of the market shows that there simple are not equivalent versions of all products that don't harvest your data.