news.volyx.in

Commission opens non-compliance investigations against Alphabet, Apple and Meta (ec.europa.eu)

579 points by impish9208 · 874 days ago · 621 comments on HN

Article summary

The European Commission has opened investigations into Alphabet, Apple, and Meta for non-compliance with EU regulations. The discussion revolves around cookie consent, tracking, and data privacy. Commenters debate the effectiveness of current cookie consent mechanisms and propose alternative solutions, such as browser settings. The conversation also touches on the console industry and potential regulations.

Main themes

  • Cookie consent
  • Data privacy
  • Browser settings
  • Console industry
  • EU regulations
  • Tracking and fingerprinting

What commenters say

  • The current cookie consent system is ineffective and should be replaced with a browser setting that allows users to easily accept or reject tracking cookies.
  • Forcing websites to obey browser settings for cookie consent would be a more user-friendly approach than the current pop-up system.
  • Allowing third-party stores on consoles could lead to a mass consolidation of game developers and engine vendors, ultimately harming consumers.
  • Opening up console markets to third-party stores would actually increase competition and make it less attractive for game developers to be bought out by console manufacturers.
  • The console industry's business model relies on selling consoles at a loss and making up for it through game sales and commissions, so disrupting this model could have significant consequences.
  • Some argue that consoles are already sold at a price that factors in total procurement costs over their lifetime, and that gaming PCs are not a direct equivalent due to differences in optimization and procurement costs.
  • Others propose that the cost of an unsubsidized console would be comparable to a gaming PC, and that the total cost of ownership for a gaming PC would be lower due to the lack of subscription fees.
  • Regulations around data privacy and tracking are necessary to protect users, and the EU's efforts to overhaul cookie consent are a step in the right direction.