Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[AdrianH]

Changes to EU law intended to protect privacy

From May 25, websites will have to gain consent from web users to store or access information on their computers, under changes to European law.

The changes to the EU Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive are an attempt to protect privacy and will require firms to explain to web users the information that is being stored and what behavioural advertising or ads tailored to the web users based on their browsing activities are. As a result, web users are expected to see more pop-ups containing this information when surfing websites.


While cookies that allow web users to store good in an online shopping basket are exempt from the changes in the directive, those cookies that allow users to store log-in details for site such as social networks or webmail are affected.

Well, as half the world seem to browse using popup blockers this is going to be a mess. How many sites and forums are aware that in just a few weeks this will be required?

[CurlyWhirly]

I didn't know about it either until you posted on here !

I use a pop-up blocker and so I shouldn't in theory get affected by the pop-ups !?

Silly EU rules again I see  

[silversurfer44]

What about the servers that are not in the EU?

[tuftedduck]

It certainly will not be coming into force in May.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12677534

[AdrianH]

It certainly will not be coming into force in May.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12677534

Well......... it will come in to force, there is no choice in the matter this is an EU law.

What is being said is :

It too plans a very light touch when the regulation comes into force.

"We are not saying that we won't take action. We expect firms to be working towards solutions," said a spokeswoman for the ICO.

the govt. and IT industry are not ready and instructions are not yet available as to what the ICO require you to implement but the law is set and admins/owners "could" be prosecuted from the 25th May onwards.

[AdrianH]

What about the servers that are not in the EU?

If your site is amied at an EU audience and your company is EU based I suspect that you will still be required to comply.
I think it is frustrating that this is all being mentioned so late in the day without there bwing any clear guidlines as to what is actually needed.

[silversurfer44]

>> If your site is amied at an EU audience and your company is EU based <<
That is what my question was aimed at. There are a vast number of .com, .org and the like that are not based in EU countries, and in essence are not directed at an EU country. What then. I would suspect the two finger salute will be directed at any such EU law. 

[BritBrat]

I may turn off my cookies for a test to see how annoying it really is.

[AdrianH]

>> If your site is amied at an EU audience and your company is EU based <<
That is what my question was aimed at. There are a vast number of .com, .org and the like that are not based in EU countries, and in essence are not directed at an EU country. What then. I would suspect the two finger salute will be directed at any such EU law. 

Agreed, if your company/organisation is not EU based then this will not apply, just as the COPPA regulations required in the USA could not be enforced on sites originating outside the States.

I can see why they want this but it seems as usual that a committee of people has come up with this when they are not IT literate.

[Oranged]

It certainly will not be coming into force in May.

Correct !......the amendment to the regulations which adopted the original Directive has not yet come before UK parliament so until that happens it stays as an EU Directive to be adopted by UK.