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Europe is scaling back GDPR and relaxing AI laws (theverge.com)

975 points by ksec · 247 days ago · 1168 comments on HN

Article summary

The European Commission has proposed changes to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and artificial intelligence (AI) laws, making it easier for companies to share anonymized and pseudonymized personal datasets and use personal data to train AI models. The changes aim to simplify the EU's tech laws and reduce red tape, but critics argue that they weaken fundamental safeguards and bow to pressure from Big Tech. The proposal also reduces the requirement for cookie banners and pop-ups, allowing users to control non-risk cookies through central browser controls. The changes will need to be approved by the European Parliament and the EU's 27 member states.

Main themes

  • GDPR changes
  • AI regulation
  • Data protection
  • Tech industry pressure
  • EU policy
  • Cookie laws

What commenters say

  • The changes to the GDPR and AI laws will undo the concept of privacy by making it easier for companies to share and use personal data.
  • The reduction in cookie banners and pop-ups is a welcome change, as it will make it easier for users to control their data and reduce clutter on websites.
  • The EU is bowing to pressure from Big Tech and weakening fundamental safeguards, which will have negative consequences for data protection and privacy.
  • The law should focus on banning tracking and data sharing, rather than just regulating cookies, to effectively protect users' privacy.
  • Browser settings and extensions are not enough to prevent tracking, and regulation is necessary to protect users from data brokers and third-party entities.
  • The changes to the GDPR and AI laws are necessary to simplify the EU's tech laws and reduce red tape, allowing for innovation and economic growth.
  • The proposal's focus on anonymized and pseudonymized data is misleading, as it is still possible to identify individuals from large datasets.
  • The EU's approach to data protection and AI regulation should be technologically neutral and focus on protecting natural persons, rather than specific technologies like cookies.