You're just preaching american exceptionalism. The companies wantonly ignoring it (or applying a ton of dark patterns to it) are the same ones that have always

You're just preaching american exceptionalism. The companies wantonly ignoring it (or applying a ton of dark patterns to it) are the same ones that have always been exploiting you in the vilest ways they can. In other words, it has nothing to do with the legislation (which to answer your question has in fact had a very large impact).