Websites (inc PH) trying it on with GDPR
Discussion
I've noticed a number of websites simply don't leave you alone when it comes to GDPR and your site settings.
When asked once for my preferences, I've chosen to decline the preferences that allow my data to be used for targeted advertising etc etc. Then saved those settings.
Yet within a few days or weeks, you're asked to confirm them again.
And again.
And now again.
As you have to 'opt out' this becomes a tedious pain in the ass. So if you keep asking someone a repetitive question eventually they just get tired of it and opt in for the quiet life....
Is this how sites are now getting around the opt out of their revenue generating abuse of personal data....? Bore you to death with it until you just opt in...?
When asked once for my preferences, I've chosen to decline the preferences that allow my data to be used for targeted advertising etc etc. Then saved those settings.
Yet within a few days or weeks, you're asked to confirm them again.
And again.
And now again.
As you have to 'opt out' this becomes a tedious pain in the ass. So if you keep asking someone a repetitive question eventually they just get tired of it and opt in for the quiet life....
Is this how sites are now getting around the opt out of their revenue generating abuse of personal data....? Bore you to death with it until you just opt in...?
TTmonkey said:
I've noticed a number of websites simply don't leave you alone when it comes to GDPR and your site settings.
When asked once for my preferences, I've chosen to decline the preferences that allow my data to be used for targeted advertising etc etc. Then saved those settings.
Yet within a few days or weeks, you're asked to confirm them again.
And again.
And now again.
As you have to 'opt out' this becomes a tedious pain in the ass. So if you keep asking someone a repetitive question eventually they just get tired of it and opt in for the quiet life....
Is this how sites are now getting around the opt out of their revenue generating abuse of personal data....? Bore you to death with it until you just opt in...?
And utterly pointless. When asked once for my preferences, I've chosen to decline the preferences that allow my data to be used for targeted advertising etc etc. Then saved those settings.
Yet within a few days or weeks, you're asked to confirm them again.
And again.
And now again.
As you have to 'opt out' this becomes a tedious pain in the ass. So if you keep asking someone a repetitive question eventually they just get tired of it and opt in for the quiet life....
Is this how sites are now getting around the opt out of their revenue generating abuse of personal data....? Bore you to death with it until you just opt in...?
You cant get out of violating the GDPR by getting tacit permission to violate the GDPR from users. Or even explicit permission, there are laws you cant opt out of.
Personally I'm looking (waiting) for a Firefox/Chrome extension to block it.
jonamv8 said:
its doing my head in
everytime i view a new site online I have to tick this, accept that, Ok this, agree that
Ruining the online experience and for zero gain.
Im getting more spam now than I did pre GDPR
Good work ICO, good work./.....
The ICO is merely enforcing the EU Directive.everytime i view a new site online I have to tick this, accept that, Ok this, agree that
Ruining the online experience and for zero gain.
Im getting more spam now than I did pre GDPR
Good work ICO, good work./.....
I'm all for GDPR but it is clear it isn't understood properly and Lawyers and Scaremongers are making it worse than it needs to be.
You'll notice that the ICO website doesn't have all those annoying pop-ups - it's because they aren't necessary in many cases and only if you intend to use analytics and can identify an individual via their device. You otherwise simply have to have a detailed section explaining how you use Cookies etc for the recording of preferences etc.
The ICO are still learning. For example: I have seen an increased number of Subject Access Requests since GDPR, which is fine, but 100% of them have been from people I've never heard of! Time-wasting. So I contacted the ICO to see where I stood in terms of ignoring them - given they are not and never have been my Customers and I have zero data on them. The ICO kept referring to GDPR where it states what Public entities have to do - i.e. respond regardless.
They had no clue how I should respond as a Private company. They just kept banging on about how I have to reveal what Data I hold and couldn't compute what to do if no Data was held and I didn't want to waste time replying. They just assume everyone will be happy to waste time replying to non-customers who forget who they dealt with in the past. They ended up advising that if someone complained that their request was ignored, each case would be investigated on its own merit. I asked what the penalties were then, for withholding Data I do not have or, withholding the fact I had no Data. They didn't know... .
Edited by Coolbanana on Thursday 2nd August 12:12
Yes it's the product of woolly and over-complex legislation that no-one quite knows how to handle yet. It's just ruining websites at the moment. The best one I saw was a website that literally went into insane detail on every single cookie in use - there were about 40! Who has time for that?!!
Hi, I'm a website, can I track you and use some of your data?
No.
Ok.
....
....
Hi, I'm a website, can I track you and use some of your data?
I already told you last week no.
Oh sorry I don't know who you are.
Why not.
Well if you told me not to track you that would be why.
Can you track me a little bit but only for a bunch of reasons I support but will not have told you about in advance?
Sorry i dont know how to do that, maybe I will support that in a future release.
Waaaah my rights are being violated
No.
Ok.
....
....
Hi, I'm a website, can I track you and use some of your data?
I already told you last week no.
Oh sorry I don't know who you are.
Why not.
Well if you told me not to track you that would be why.
Can you track me a little bit but only for a bunch of reasons I support but will not have told you about in advance?
Sorry i dont know how to do that, maybe I will support that in a future release.
Waaaah my rights are being violated
I would not dream of trying to define what the requirements are under the GDPR. However, what I can often do is recognise where companies fail to conform to the regulations and where they exceed the requirements.
I contacted the ICO of three occasions in the run up to the go live date and got qualified answers. If the department whose job it is to enforce the regs cannot be definitive then the regs are badly worded.
On the other hand, for those who write on the GDPR for money, it is Xmas every week. Ching!
I've been contacted by companies who have/had no right to keep my details under the GDPR and previous regulations with a tick box permissions form. My irritation is muted by me being able to write article on that particular subject. What it does make clear though is that the GDPR, and the advertising around it, was needed. It is a shame it is not in clear, understandable language.
I contacted the ICO of three occasions in the run up to the go live date and got qualified answers. If the department whose job it is to enforce the regs cannot be definitive then the regs are badly worded.
On the other hand, for those who write on the GDPR for money, it is Xmas every week. Ching!
I've been contacted by companies who have/had no right to keep my details under the GDPR and previous regulations with a tick box permissions form. My irritation is muted by me being able to write article on that particular subject. What it does make clear though is that the GDPR, and the advertising around it, was needed. It is a shame it is not in clear, understandable language.
TTmonkey said:
I've noticed a number of websites simply don't leave you alone when it comes to GDPR and your site settings.
When asked once for my preferences, I've chosen to decline the preferences that allow my data to be used for targeted advertising etc etc. Then saved those settings.
Yet within a few days or weeks, you're asked to confirm them again.
And again.
And now again.
As you have to 'opt out' this becomes a tedious pain in the ass. So if you keep asking someone a repetitive question eventually they just get tired of it and opt in for the quiet life....
Is this how sites are now getting around the opt out of their revenue generating abuse of personal data....? Bore you to death with it until you just opt in...?
I'm told, by a webmaster I complained to, that the reason I keep getting the pop-ups is that I delete cookies, so how are they to know my preferences.When asked once for my preferences, I've chosen to decline the preferences that allow my data to be used for targeted advertising etc etc. Then saved those settings.
Yet within a few days or weeks, you're asked to confirm them again.
And again.
And now again.
As you have to 'opt out' this becomes a tedious pain in the ass. So if you keep asking someone a repetitive question eventually they just get tired of it and opt in for the quiet life....
Is this how sites are now getting around the opt out of their revenue generating abuse of personal data....? Bore you to death with it until you just opt in...?
mp3manager said:
FF & Chrome have had 'Do Not Track' for some time now. Whether websites respect that setting is anybody's guess.
Probably should have phrased that better, I meant a "automatically reject and don't bother me with a popup flag". I suspect lot of these popups are generated by 3rd parties. That's why they look so similar.
captain_cynic said:
The simple answer is to have a "do not track" flag that automatically tells a website not to track you and don't bother asking.
Probably going to be introduced into Chrome and Firefox in 4 or 5 versions.
That will be good. Is it different to the existing 'Do Not Track' flag in Edge? Probably going to be introduced into Chrome and Firefox in 4 or 5 versions.
My current solution is to answer the question once, if it asks again then I hide the overlays using uBlock's 'Element Picker Mode'. Works in most cases.
Derek Smith said:
I'm told, by a webmaster I complained to, that the reason I keep getting the pop-ups is that I delete cookies, so how are they to know my preferences.
And that is exactly how it works.A website asks for your preferences, you select your preferences and then a 'cookie' is set in your browser to store said preferences.
You can test this easily if you have two browsers - simply go to a site and set your preferences, and then open another browser (that you've not used for that site before) and once again you will be asked to set your preferences.
Clear your cookies, and yes... you will once again be asked to set your preferences
It is possible to store user preferences server side, but that requires you to login, so that the site owner can know who you are in order to set your preferences.
In some cases preferences can be set server side without a login, but some form of identification method (usually a cookie!) has to be set on the client side as part of the process.
TLDR; If you're the kind of person that constantly deletes cookies, you will be prompted for your preferences every time you revisit a site.
It's that simple.
aka_kerrly said:
This is rapidly turning into one of the most annoying things about the internet. I hope someone designs a bolt on that can automatically select NO TO ALL on every site you browse.
I think it's going to be added to the major browsers shortly (Chrome or Firefox). Might take a few revisions, but it'll happen. Rather than coming up with ways to block the feckers, shouldn't we be asking why websites are trying to abuse our trust?
Are the majority of them gaining anything useful, or just collecting data because everyone else does and their website designer/developer told them they should?
Google, Amazon, etc. have clear and obvious reasons to do so, but most of the sites I visit are work related and have no (obvious) advertising for third parties. Google and Amazon ask the question once, then you're done until the next amendment to their terms/conditions - it can be done well.
Are the majority of them gaining anything useful, or just collecting data because everyone else does and their website designer/developer told them they should?
Google, Amazon, etc. have clear and obvious reasons to do so, but most of the sites I visit are work related and have no (obvious) advertising for third parties. Google and Amazon ask the question once, then you're done until the next amendment to their terms/conditions - it can be done well.
LordGrover said:
<snip>
Google, Amazon, etc. have clear and obvious reasons to do so, but most of the sites I visit are work related and have no (obvious) advertising for third parties. Google and Amazon ask the question once, then you're done until the next amendment to their terms/conditions - it can be done well.
As per my post above - that's because Google / Amazon etc. know who you are - you sign in and your preferences are stored on their servers (not on your PC).Google, Amazon, etc. have clear and obvious reasons to do so, but most of the sites I visit are work related and have no (obvious) advertising for third parties. Google and Amazon ask the question once, then you're done until the next amendment to their terms/conditions - it can be done well.
You will still get a generic cookie e.g. Google asking you to review your search preferences (when not logged in) - delete your cookies and you get asked again...
TonyRPH said:
And that is exactly how it works.
A website asks for your preferences, you select your preferences and then a 'cookie' is set in your browser to store said preferences.
You can test this easily if you have two browsers - simply go to a site and set your preferences, and then open another browser (that you've not used for that site before) and once again you will be asked to set your preferences.
Clear your cookies, and yes... you will once again be asked to set your preferences
It is possible to store user preferences server side, but that requires you to login, so that the site owner can know who you are in order to set your preferences.
In some cases preferences can be set server side without a login, but some form of identification method (usually a cookie!) has to be set on the client side as part of the process.
TLDR; If you're the kind of person that constantly deletes cookies, you will be prompted for your preferences every time you revisit a site.
It's that simple.
It’s far from that simple. I never delete cookies except where I have a problem and the fix is to delete cookies etc. Yet sites like PH have asked me half a dozen time to set my preferences. Is that because they didn’t like my original answer....? A website asks for your preferences, you select your preferences and then a 'cookie' is set in your browser to store said preferences.
You can test this easily if you have two browsers - simply go to a site and set your preferences, and then open another browser (that you've not used for that site before) and once again you will be asked to set your preferences.
Clear your cookies, and yes... you will once again be asked to set your preferences
It is possible to store user preferences server side, but that requires you to login, so that the site owner can know who you are in order to set your preferences.
In some cases preferences can be set server side without a login, but some form of identification method (usually a cookie!) has to be set on the client side as part of the process.
TLDR; If you're the kind of person that constantly deletes cookies, you will be prompted for your preferences every time you revisit a site.
It's that simple.
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