Gdpr

[HansUrbancka]

There have been a number of postings in AB on this subject matter. Nevertheless, I feel it warrants another.

It is the case that a lot of News/Media sites are informing us that cookies are necessary for use of their sites and failure to agree to the use of cookies will render us unable to use their sites. Even our beloved Answerbank has proceeded along such lines.

Some sites are giving options as to the sort of Cookies which we can accept but Not so with Answerbank which is a 'take it or leave it' situation.

Hans.

[Mamyalynne]

You're right - some sites are giving options should you wish to go through them and some aren't.

You have decided to mention only one in all of your informative post - but thank you for it Hans.

[Canary42]

I've briefly perused the new regulations, and I get the impression that as they are a bit complex , many sites have NOT complied with the full conditions (e.g. opt in by explicit consent, not by default). It will probably end up a Barristers' Blessing - I await the first case with bated breath.

[Zacs-Master]

It is indeed take it or leave it. You’ll have to decide which you’re going to do, Hans.

[Jackdaw33]

I wish I knew what exactly was changing and how it will affect me.

[Buenchico]

Any site which requires people to log in MUST use cookies, otherwise their server wouldn't know who was posting. (i.e. without cookies, if you wanted to post lots of times on a Chatterbank thread you'd have to append your log-in details to every single post you submitted).

The additional (tracking) cookies used by AB are needed as part of the system that funds the site. However, irrespective of whether you've given permission for them or not, many (most?) browsers block tracking by default anyway. (e.g. Firefox has 'tracking protection' turned on in its 'fresh out of the box' state). So if you use such a browser then those cookies are effectively disabled anyway.

AB is actually being extremely generous in permitting people to use it with adblockers enabled. (They clearly don't approve of it but they've not sought to prevent it). Many websites (notably those of local newspapers) won't allow you access at all unless you disable your adblocker. Further, many of them use picture galleries to illustrate stories, which won't load unless you also disable tracking prevention in your browser.

I find it odd that people object to their browsing habits being tracked but often don't seem to mind that Google tracks their physical location from their phones.

[Canary42]

/// odd that people object to their browsing habits being tracked but often don't seem to mind that Google tracks their physical location from their phones.///

Nowt so queer as folk ;-)

[jno]

even your toothbrush may be keeping an eye on you, canary

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jun/01/uk-homes-vulnerable-to-staggering-level-of-corporate-surveillance

[HansUrbancka]

@Mamyalynne....I have in effect kept my comments to those in respect of AB, because I am Not being given any choice about the cookies which are being deployed. For information to ZM, I have accepted them in the knowledge that I am able to put restraints on some of them.

I am sorry Chris for having to disagree with you. One signing into AB should be enough for the whole of any visit to the site, without the need for cookies which pass information about us to other sites.

Perhaps the time has come for AB to seek Sponsors such as is the case with Wikipedia and be free of all forms of advertising which involves Google that tracks the Internet movements of all who use its facilities. ( I avoid Google as much as is humanly possible.)

Hans.

[Zacs-Master]

Taken it like a man eh, Hans. Good good.

[HansUrbancka]

It appears from a 'pop-up' on my recent entry into AB that we are being given an option to reject Cookies of which we disapprove. However, the Chef will Not serve anyone who refuses the cookies.

Accordingly we are being trapped into accepting that information about us will go further than the kitchen.

Hans.

[Mamyalynne]

Yes, the Editor has explained the new pop up in a thread in Ed's Blog.

[hereIam]

I have no idea what 'cookies' are, I just go along with it and press the correct button and nothing earth shattering appears to happen.

[Backdrifter]

I was going to ask something about this and saw this thread already existed, hence digging it back up now. With some sites I visit, opting out of advertising cookies brings up a list of organisations for which you can simply click a 'decline' button, but also organisations - maybe 20 or more on occasions - whose sites you have to visit in order to opt out, with many of those sites flagged as unsecure. Is it not the case we should opt *in* to consent to our data being gathered? Is that not one of the tenets of GDPR?