EU clears up ad-blocker and cookies rules for publishers and telecos

[Becky]

The European Commission has published a new fact sheet setting out their proposals for modernising the current digital privacy rules. Digital Look reports:

In order to try and clear up the legal framework around digital communications, the EU's operating arm, the European Commission, has proposed new rules that will require no individual consent is needed for non-privacy intrusive cookies such as for shopping cart history or filling in online forms over several pages.

Internet users will instead set an overall level of security through their browser of higher or lower levels of privacy.

The EC also proposed that privacy be guaranteed for content of communication as well as metadata such as who was called, the timing, location and duration of the call, as well as websites visited.

Full article here.

The fact sheet is well worth a read, and you can find it here: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-17-17_en.htm

 

[Pharmarcy]

Is anyone else not surprised this wasn't in there in the first place? Seemed like a really big oversight.

 

[Becky]

I always thought it was ridiculous when they implemented the sweeping rules about cookies, saying that each website must inform users if they use cookies. Surely it should be up to the user to educate themselves regarding what cookies are and how to control them. Hopefully that requirement will be gone with the set of rules!