[akshayB]

Eventually what will happen is all major services on internet that the consent popup will turn into an annoying experience like you have to click 'I Agree' button whenever you are installing any software. Major portion of internet users don't understand laws/privacy and they would just click 'I Agree' to move forward to next step.

This is still a big win for the companies since they have engineered a behavior where people just click 'I agree' without understanding it.

[ifmpx]

Which will encourage courts to render these "agreements" invalid. I think there was a study that showed that it would take the average user 40 man-years to read and understand each software or serive legal agreements they "agree" to.

Software legal agreements are a farce, and it's only a matter of time before governments step in and regulate the shit out of it.

[Nextgrid]

Note that Google's consent form is already invalid and completely useless from the GDPR's point of view.

As per the GDPR, consent should be freely given (you are not penalized for declining) and it should be as easy to decline as it is to agree (something as simple as pre-ticked checkboxes is already in breach). The ICO's (UK privacy regulator) website provides more details: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protectio...

The current Google consent prompt fails the second test. There is an easy "I agree" button but no "I decline". The "See more" button leads you to some more filler text and turns the button to "Other options". Clicking that gives you more filler text and some links to Google/YouTube history and ad settings, but setting those doesn't actually dismiss the modal and you are still supposed to click "I agree". Furthermore the Google personalized ad opt-out says the setting can take hours to apply, which would also not comply with the GDPR as ad tracking should be opt-in to begin with.

[paulryanrogers]

What is at stake if the EU agrees this is a violation?

[rightbyte]

E.g.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Corp._v._Commission

[amluto]

As I understand it, it’s crystal clear under EU law that these I Agree popups violate the GDPR.

[virgilp]

Yeah, I really don't get it. Google seems to be daring EU to apply a 5% fine.... why wouldn't EU do that?

[throwaway33339]

5% is pocket money. By the time the get sued, lose, appeal, lose the appeal, etc. they'll have made that money many times over. At this scale fines are just the cost of doing business.

The only way to act as an actual deterrent is to put executives behind bars or dismantle the company.

[mywittyname]

They wouldn't be able to enforce it.

[virgilp]

Like what, Google would stop operating in Ireland and Netherlands? That’s worse than the rine

[distances]

Of course EU can enforce fines? It's being done all the time, the same as in US.

[tinus_hn]

In the EU forcing consent by not allowing people to close these boxes without accepting just is not consent. Most sites these days have a reasonable way to refuse most tracking.