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Week 9 [28.05.2018-03.06.2018] "We have updated our privacy policies"

You may have noticed a ton of privacy policy emails lately from companies like Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, or this app I used to use or remove which I have no idea.

Those new policies are the result of something called the General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR,  which went into effect May 25th. It's a new rule in the European Union, that's rewriting how data sharing works on the internet and almost no one is ready for it, most people don't even know what it is.

The General Data Protection Regulation - is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union and the European Economic Area. It also addresses the export of personal data outside the EU and EEA.
So it's totally ok, to not fully understand the GDPR because it's really complicated, but basically it sets new rules for how companies can treat user data, with a particular eye towards tech companies. Even if you don't live in Europe, companies are rewriting their policies for everyone.

The big difference is that the GDPR's idea, is a lot more intense than previous regulations, so companies have to ask for permission more often in concrete terms, that means a lot more click to proceed boxes. Although, the transparency requirements, also mean the text inside should get a lot more explicit.

Probably the most important change is how companies share data. Behind the scenes right now visiting a single website might feed data to dozens of different companies for analytics, but the GDPR means any company, that sends that data to third-party will have to explain why they need it, and what they're doing with it. Another cool thing is that EU residents now have the right to request their data from companies and ask for certain information to be deleted or corrected. Your request to companies will have 30 days to respond or face penalties. For a big company like Google or Facebook the scariest part is the regulators can exact, up to 4% of their global revenue. So for company like Amazon, for instance,  it would means up to 7 billion dollars.


The GDPR is a reminder, that the government really can protect your data when it wants to.

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regulation
https://www.eugdpr.org/

Questions:
1. Did you receive the 
GDPR e-mails and did they irritate you?
2. Do you think that companies need to be regulated on how they use clients data?
3. What is your opinion about new regulations?


Comments

Marcin Mróz said…
Yes, I did, I think that everyone that uses internet received them. ;) They didn't irritate me that much, at least I could remind myself where did I put any kind of personal data. On my opinion this kind of regulations are necessary in nowadays world in the era of big data boom, where every company collects as much data as it could. This 'collecting' must be somehow regulated to protect our privacy and prevent from any abuses. I believe that the more regulated and strict the usage of private data is, the better for all the users.
Illia Lukisha said…
I recieved a lot of mails from sites, that on which I was registred many years ago, and even didn't remeber about, so it was a great opportunity to remove accounts that I don't need. But I think we must re-work method how agreements is collected, so they wouldn't transform into something like 'cookies agreement', that doesn't make sense, but is so annoying.
Iman Masjedi said…
Yes, I received a lot of emails about this subject.
Companies must be sure to tell their customers what information they store and how they are used, this information is part of our true identity in the virtual world.
Yes, i received a huge amount of e-mails from different resources and they did irritate me. I agree with a statement that companies need to regulate on how they use clients data and i believe that every company will understand and will not underestimate it. The good example is facebook and their clients data fail. I don't care about new regulatios just because i try not to post my real information somewhere.
Anna Koca said…
1. Did you receive the GDPR e-mails and did they irritate you?
Yes and yes. But I understand it is for the good. What I am really concerned about is whether it will actually protect our data better, or is it just gonna come down to the same thing, but you will just have more "clicking" to do. I've noticed a lot more pop-ups upon entering a site than before. 1. Did you receive the GDPR e-mails and did they irritate you? Very irritating, especially on mobile.

2. Do you think that companies need to be regulated on how they use clients data?
Yes, I think so. We can see clearly that our data often is abused and sold to third-parties (usually sales companies that will nag you through their telemarketers to buy a product you've never heard about from a company you've never heard about).

3. What is your opinion about new regulations?
They are essentially good for customers and tough for companies. So it depends - if you are the CEO of Samsung, you'd probably not be happy about it.
Unknown said…
Yeah, I've received several e-mails, and that was kinda irritating. I think companies should be regulated, and should keep privacy of our data.
I havent really read them) I just press accept/skip and thats it. Like, they are not asking, they are just informing you what they are doing, and it seems like there is no way to change it
Andrzej Gulak said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Yes, I have got a lot of emails about service rules updates and this was a little bit annoying.
I think that people must have full control about data that they share with internet services and other companies because this is only way to guaranty that in most cases all will be ok with personal information. Also I think that people need to be careful when they share their personal data because they must be ready that this data сan be stolen because nobody can guarantee full security for IT technology.
I think that this regulations is positive movement and we must move forward in this.
Unknown said…
Did you receive the GDPR e-mails and did they irritate you?
Yes I received hundred of emails about new policy of privacy, that was annoying but right now it stops.
Do you think that companies need to be regulated on how they use clients data?
In my opinion yes, because that is ours private informations which maybe someone does not want to share with all world, and many companies are going too far to make a profit, and they do not care about users. In that case only laws under pain of punishment can change something. Many people are not aware abut that how those companies are working.
What is your opinion about new regulations?
In my opinion it is a step in a good way. Without that no one much cares about others private information. Maybe implementation should look a little bit different, because many people had many doubts.
I do receive them and it really irritates me, because i am not going to read them anytime soon, it's not like i got time to dig in this bureaucratic hell. As long as the dcecision of sharing a personal data of user is concious and understanded(unlike mine for example =)) it should not be regulated. I don't have an opinion because i didn't read a new regulation policy.

Yes! I have received plenty of them even at night ! It was trully irritating but well it has to be done, so I am not mad at it. Yes companies should be regulated on how use clients data, there is nothing worst than having your personal data sold to some cold-calls companies. I am happy that for now customer can "easly" remove his data from databases I know that in theory it sounds good but in practice i guess it would be more complex and hard to avoid easy removals.
Unknown said…
Yep, I got it - I don't even read it to be honest.
Yes, thats for sure - rules and restrictions are neccesery in order to feel safe about things we put online. I thinke that companies should be regulated on how they use their customers/clients/visitors data. Like I've mentioned, I don't even read it, but I've read this article and it clears information for me, thank You. My opinion is simple - "I don't put my 'very' personal data online" - so I'm avoiding puttin my id, adress, pesel into the internet
Unknown said…
I have received some GDPR e-mails, but not as many as my friends. Nah, I am receiving many e-mail that I really don't care so they didn't irritate me as well.
I think that our data is very important and have to be hold in proper way. This kind of area is now evolving and so far companies could do everything with our personal informations. This have to be changed.
I think that this kind of regulations should be introduced many years ago, so I am happy about it.
Maciej Nowak said…
I have received GDPR e-mails and for me they are not as irritating as new pop-ups on websites that you have to close to see the content. But I think it is great that there are new regulations that will help protect our privacy and companies will have limited limited access to personal data.
Unknown said…
1. Did you receive the GDPR e-mails and did they irritate you?

Of course I received the GDPR e-mails and it was anoing but on the other hand I am happy that companies were force to extend protection on our data.

2. Do you think that companies need to be regulated on how they use clients data?

Yes, I think that companies need to be regulated on how they use clients data because since now they treated our data like their own privacy.

3. What is your opinion about new regulations?

I think that it was good idea to make such regulations. I hope that next step will be force Facebook to protect freedom of speech and force companies like Facebook or Google to pay honest tax in countries where they earn money.
Illia Lukisha said…
I'm appreciate changes, but I don't wanna receive so many emails, from all sites I logged in anytime in my life. From another side, I'm unsubscribed from many of random subscriptions.
Illia Lukisha said…
After all changes, I think we should also educate people to think more for whom they send their data, and how it can be used, and what hides under "user agreement" checkbox.
Patryk Górski said…
1. Did you receive the GDPR e-mails and did they irritate you?

Yes. I've received a lot of them, and they're so irritating. I hope that it will change, and I will receive less e-mails like that in the future.

2. Do you think that companies need to be regulated on how they use clients data?

Yes. I've experienced a lot of situations, when companies needed too many informations about me. They should have less knowledge about us.

3. What is your opinion about new regulations?

They're fine, I think that they were needed and it's good to have them.
Illia Lukisha said…
Maybe using of all of this popups, will remember people, what they pay for using particular resource? But anyway cookies popups, don't make sense and continue to irritate me every day, especially on mobile.
I work as a developer I know that CEO of every company on Earth is not happy about new regulations, but this need to be done. Better now, then later.
Illia Lukisha said…
And how do you feel about new regulations?
Because I like new rules, and I hate the way how this rules are implemented. But anyway privacy first, mailbox full of GDPRs letters second.
Illia Lukisha said…
How do you think, how this regulations will influence the user experience and conversion, because people hate popups, and now there are ten times more of them? What do you think must be stricter?
Unknown said…
Yes, I did. I received about 300 of those. It was annoying, but what could I do?
I think we should regulate on how companies use clients data. It's important to be aware of the facts on what we agreed and for what they use our data. I think that data privacy is neglected nowadays for most of the people. However, it should not be.
I'm happy about the new laws.
Illia Lukisha said…
I'm agree that realization of this rules must go another way, but the set of rules is good, and for people far from IT it means more security on the web, even if they don't know about it.
Illia Lukisha said…
New rules is about make companies to share, what they want to collect and make this process transparent and comfortable for user, so maybe you didn't understand the goals of regulations right ;)
Illia Lukisha said…
I think after new regulations people will become think more about why they need to agree with so many rules, and will think what info they want to share and what they do not.
Illia Lukisha said…
Companies have the same access, but user now, has control about how his data can be used. So it's more about user returning control of what they share in the web.
Illia Lukisha said…
Interesting statement about tax, I never thought about that. I think it can be next step in development of internet regulations.
Cecylia said…
Yes i received a lot of the GDPR emails and yes they did irritate me because there was a lot of emails from site that i registered a long time ago and didn't even remember about them so there was a ton of it during one two weeks. Also you needed to accept something every time on the site you visit. I personally don t even read what it is. I don't understand any of this stuff . I never understood so i cannot tell if its good or bad or if it need a change. Its hard for me to have an opinion because i don't really care about new regulation. I suppose that changes means better way so i accept it and that all.

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