3 ms·

Because the companies are getting what they want (data on users), but the regulation is not getting what it wants (no tracking or informed tracking). I don't k

by edanm 3y ago

Because the companies are getting what they want (data on users), but the regulation is not getting what it wants (no tracking or informed tracking). I don't know if this mini-competition between regulators and companies is truly zero-sum, there could be some way to get everyone something they want. But with the current regulation, it is zero-sum, and the companies are winning and the EU is losing. And the EU "works for you", so of course you can complain to them.

n4r9 3y ago
> the regulation is not getting what it wants (no tracking or informed tracking) That's an overstatement of the purpose of the regulation IMO. The purpose is to give the user control over the tracking of their data.
- edanm 3y ago
  OK, fair enough. pg's point still stands I think - I believe that most users have zero idea what that popup is and don't bother doing anything but clicking on it immediately even if they do have some idea.
  - n4r9 3y ago
    I find it pretty difficult to be sure what point pg is making, because he uses an ambiguous phrase "good at regulation". What does he mean by "good at regulation"? According to the UK's Institute of Chartered Accountants [0] good regulation satisfies five criteria: * Transparency * Accountability * Proportionality * Consistency * Targeting I'm not certain that the GDPR laws fail any of these. I'm guessing pg is getting at something more nebulous to do with how annoying the UX is as a result of the regulation, and whether it encourages civil engagement. But if he'd simply said "EU regulation has made UX annoying" then he wouldn't have such a snappy tweet. [0] https://www.icaew.com/technical/trust-and-ethics/better-regulation/better-regulation-briefing/1-principles-of-good-regulation https://www.icaew.com/technical/trust-and-ethics/better-regu... EDIT I googled some more and found a brochure from the National Audit Office titled "Principles of Effective Regulation": https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Principles-of-effective-regulation-SOff-interactive-accessible.pdf https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Principles... It does have a statement in there: > Good regulation maximises the benefits while minimising compliance costs and unintended consequences. The benefits of regulation can be both to wider society (such as improved environmental or safety standards) and to regulated (for example, through increased consumer confidence), but not all of the benefits are necessarily easy to quantify. Put that way, I can get on board with what pg's saying.

by edanm 3y ago

n4r9 3y ago

> the regulation is not getting what it wants (no tracking or informed tracking) That's an overstatement of the purpose of the regulation IMO. The purpose is to give the user control over the tracking of their data.

edanm 3y ago
OK, fair enough. pg's point still stands I think - I believe that most users have zero idea what that popup is and don't bother doing anything but clicking on it immediately even if they do have some idea.
- n4r9 3y ago
  I find it pretty difficult to be sure what point pg is making, because he uses an ambiguous phrase "good at regulation". What does he mean by "good at regulation"? According to the UK's Institute of Chartered Accountants [0] good regulation satisfies five criteria: * Transparency * Accountability * Proportionality * Consistency * Targeting I'm not certain that the GDPR laws fail any of these. I'm guessing pg is getting at something more nebulous to do with how annoying the UX is as a result of the regulation, and whether it encourages civil engagement. But if he'd simply said "EU regulation has made UX annoying" then he wouldn't have such a snappy tweet. [0] https://www.icaew.com/technical/trust-and-ethics/better-regulation/better-regulation-briefing/1-principles-of-good-regulation https://www.icaew.com/technical/trust-and-ethics/better-regu... EDIT I googled some more and found a brochure from the National Audit Office titled "Principles of Effective Regulation": https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Principles-of-effective-regulation-SOff-interactive-accessible.pdf https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Principles... It does have a statement in there: > Good regulation maximises the benefits while minimising compliance costs and unintended consequences. The benefits of regulation can be both to wider society (such as improved environmental or safety standards) and to regulated (for example, through increased consumer confidence), but not all of the benefits are necessarily easy to quantify. Put that way, I can get on board with what pg's saying.