Playing Mind Games in the Fight for Online Privacy
Regulation is great, but the road to protected online privacy starts in our minds
When the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was introduced a year ago, it was seen as the biggest promise yet in online privacy. Internet users in the EU and beyond expected to find a level playing field in which they would regain control over their personal data and how it is being used online.
Not long after the law took effect, the high expectations of GDPR faced reality, with surveys suggesting that users find it mainly frustrating, as they end up with a tsunami of privacy policy spam, cookie-consent pop-ups, and long, tedious legal text. Instead of enjoying newly found control and peace of mind, many felt more harassed and blindsided than ever.
There’s very little doubt regarding the need for privacy protection and the regulation to define and enforce it. Clear boundaries must be set. But the process of changing how online privacy is approached cannot be one-sided. Privacy protection plans should be created for the people and adopted by the people. Just as we must invest resources in forming regulation and following its implementation closely, great efforts should be made regarding how individuals perceive this issue, while addressing specific obstacles that…
