Don't know about anybody else but in the last month I have had tons of emails from companies I had forgotten I once had an account with.

I think the is a new EU privacy law well it is a proper pain.

In addition every website I now go to including this one has a pop up about cookies. So before you start to surf you have to read and OK the cookie comment. To make things more interesting I have set my browser to delete all cookies when I exit so I go through this every time. I may have to change that.

I realise that the EU are trying to help but it is another camel designed by a committee. It would have been better to tell the search engines to provide a cookie flag that could automatically be read by the web sites. In other words you do a one time cookies approval and the individual sites read that automatically instead of asking you every time

As to the privacy emails I just have to hope that the volume will drop. This must be a real bonus to the email spammers as I can't tell which are real and which are fake.

One more point

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Main features:

- You need to opt in, you aren't assumed to opt in if you don't opt out.

- Right to be forgotten. Data controllers must delete your Pronally Identifying Information (PII) upon request unless there's an overriding reason why not. They don't delete everything, just the PII. So if you have a closed accout they don't delete the transactions and business history, only the fact that the account was yours (otherwise they couldn't be audited).

- The time in which data controllers have to report breaches, investigate them and answer requests are shorter.

- The fines for breaches can be (much) larger.

- More lucrative work for data architects

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The Ferret
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Consent is only one reason to hold data, but unfortunately most companies seem to think that it is a catch all for holding personal data.

"Everything is air-droppable at least once."

"When the going gets tough, the tough call for close air support."

Not sure about the opting in bit because some have said I don’t need to do anything.

COYP

Emails I received weeks and months ago said I needed to opt in, most recent ones just have a link to their policies and the option to opt out.

It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and we're wearing sunglasses.

It's bloody annoying and it's also pointless, as they just plaster your screen with something and force you to agree to whatever you can't be bothered to read.

This site included yesterday.

Optimistic as ever