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back to article Data use rules set to be loosened under new EU e-Privacy laws - report

New EU laws set to be proposed in January will give telecoms companies more options over how they might use data they gather that relates to customers' communications, according to a media report. Telecoms companies can currently process "traffic" or location data if it has been anonymised or if they have consent to do so from …

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  1. Jess

    Whatsapp and Skype

    I used to use them.

    (Actually I still have a Skype account and connect via the pidgin plug-in just in case, but the delivery of text messages is just as unreliable as it always has been. The last one I received was sent 6 days before.)

    3 2 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      WTF?

      Re: Whatsapp and Skype

      Thanks for letting us know.

      3 0 Reply
    2. Jess
      Reply Icon

      Re: Whatsapp and Skype

      Down voters obviously not sharp enough to get the implication that the issues highlighted in the article are a big factor why I no longer use them.

      2 0 Reply
  2. Dan 55 Silver badge

    Yay for lobbyists

    Website operators would not be required to display notices asking users to consent to the use of cookies for behavioural advertising purposes if the privacy settings on users' web browsers are already configured in a way which signals that consent, according to the proposals, it said.

    So that means removal of the cookie notices, because servers can't query client settings.

    It also means huge, "please allow us to set your cookies" notices if servers set a cookie and later find it's not there... like if you're running an ad blocker.

    Yeah... not sure if being badgered into accepting Revcontent and Taboola clickbait crap is an improvement.

    And telecos can get in on all that too it seems.

    3 0 Reply
    1. mark 120
      Reply Icon

      Re: Yay for lobbyists

      That would seem to contradict the requirements of GDPR, which requires that marketing opt-ins are made by a positivie action by the user - in other words, you have to actively agree to opting in and a passive system isn't acceptable.

      3 0 Reply
      1. Dave 15
        Reply Icon

        Re: Yay for lobbyists

        Opt in... wait for it, bet there will not be an operator that doesnt require you to consent as part of the t&cs so who ever you go to ends up with permission. Only option is to not have a phone.... so no internet no nothing

        1 0 Reply
    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Yay for lobbyists

      because servers can't query client settings.

      No, but the clients can send HTTP headers, as the Do Not Track feature does, which could be used to signal acceptance. Actually, perhaps the EU is thinking of using DNT as the mechanism for signifying consent, in an arse-about-face way. This all feels like a face-saving exercise to get rid of the pointless cookie consent banners their ill-thought out regulation caused in the first place.

      3 0 Reply
  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How soon...

    ... before they manage to de-anonymise the anonymised data?

    There are plenty of academic papers on that sort of thing.

    3 0 Reply
  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    WTF?

    ~ So many gaping holes in privacy enforcement already thanks to the likes of the Irish DPC etc.

    ~ Now having previously provided no solutions, the EU wants to open the tracking-cesspool-sewer to everyone???

    ~ Come back phorm all is forgiven I guess... How many low-hanging-fruit users even know how to set Browser Cookie Consent... We need new Rape laws again....

    2 0 Reply

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