4 ms·
Ask HN: Why doesn't YC comply with GDPR?
I've noticed that YC sites (main website, Hacker News) don't seem to be GDPR compliant. For example, there are tracking cookies without consent dialogs, and no option to delete accounts on HN.
Given that YC supports startups operating globally, GDPR compliance seems like a basic expectation. Is there a particular reason for the lack of compliance? Could someone from YC clarify their stance on this?
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- throwawayffffas 2y agoI just checked on a private window there were no tracking cookies. And according to the FAQ if you want your account deleted you just have to contact HN.
- RIMR 2y agoThe main page contains embedded YouTube videos that autoload and send tracking info to Google, associated with your Google account. That's a tracking cookie.
- throwawayffffas 2y agoYou mean on www.ycombinator.com? I see 3 cookies one is XSRF. The other two could be for analytics. About the youtube thing. Does anyone here know? If you have an iframe and that iframe sets analytics cookies on it's own domain, do you have to have cookie banner?
- solardev 2y agoDoes the GDPR apply to non-European companies? If a YC-funded startup wants to operate in Europe, presumably they'd have to follow those laws. But YC itself? Are they under any obligation?
- Olphs 2y agoIt does, if the company has any branch/office/agent or similar in the EU, or if it targets their services/website to EU residents. What "targets" means exactly in this case I'm not sure, but given that YC actively markets to EU based companies too, I would think that GDPR applies to them as well.
- solardev 2y agoI see, thank you! Here's a link with more info: https://gdpr.eu/compliance-checklist-us-companies/ https://gdpr.eu/compliance-checklist-us-companies/ > Why US companies must comply with the GDPR > The GDPR applies to companies outside the EU because it is extra-territorial in scope. Specifically, the law is designed not so much to regulate businesses as it is to protect the data subjects’ rights. A “data subject” is any person in the EU, including citizens, residents, and even, perhaps, visitors. > What this means in practice is that if you collect any personal data of people in the EU, you are required to comply with the GDPR. The data could be in the form of email addresses in a marketing list or the IP addresses of those who visit your website. (See our article explaining what is considered personal data under the GDPR.) > You may be wondering how the European Union will enforce a law in territory it does not control. The fact is, foreign governments help other countries enforce their laws through mutual assistance treaties and other mechanisms all the time. GDPR Article 50 addresses this question directly. So far, the EU’s reach has not been tested, but no doubt data protection authorities are exploring their options on a case-by-case basis.
- throwawayffffas 2y agoIt applies if you have European users. Companies that want to avoid having to comply will typically block European users. They usually respond with http error code 451 Unavailable For Legal Reasons.
- segmondy 2y agowhy should anyone have to build extra logic to block EU users? Let EU block themselves.
- 2y ago
- admissionsguy 2y ago[flagged]
- RIMR 2y agoI have no idea what this response is supposed to mean. Are you accusing me of being a commie because I am calling out a big startup incubator for being non-compliant, or are you complimenting me for pushing the compliance needle forward by calling this out? Regardless, the ChatGPT hallucination you posted in complete nonsense, and maybe you should try relying on actual sources rather than asking weird questions of an LLM and acting like they mean anything. Googling the phrase "People like you made the Soviet Union go round" produces zero results, so you are likely the first person ever to use this phrase, which only leads me to believe that you're trying to insult me by calling me a commie. To that, I strongly recommend calming down and finding a less stupid cudgel to beat things with.
- carlosjobim 2y ago> Are you accusing me of being a commie... No, you're being accused of being a busy-body and a tattler. And those people were fundamental for making the Soviet Union go around.
- sergiotapia 2y agowho cares dude, we aren't in europe. they can not visit the site.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]