Yes, the regulation had loop-holes and the EU underestimated the creativity of companies to try to use those loop-holes. The most annoying thing were the dark p

Yes, the regulation had loop-holes and the EU underestimated the creativity of companies to try to use those loop-holes. The most annoying thing were the dark patterns used - default being "allow all cookies", and then making sure that rejecting cookies took you spending 10 minutes in sub-menus. That loop-hole has now been closed. The correct way to get rid of cookie banners is businesses using cookies in a responsible fashion, and sooner or later this is going to happen. Also, your framing misses one important point: If I have the choice between mildly frustrating cookie banners that raise awareness for the situation and simply having all your data sent to 500 advertising "partners" the moment you enter a website, like it is in the US, I choose the mildly frustrating cookie banners. Freedom does come at a cost. Do not blame regulators for evil forces trying to circumvent those regulations. It's what the article you are commenting on is all about. Go (re-)read it.