Jeff AtwoodAug 30, 2025
Look, EU, it is difficult to take you seriously when you forced all this cookie notification bullshit on us. That feature a) should not exist and b) if it did, should be a BROWSER feature not "every website in the entire world now has to bother everyone forever about this stupid thing" https://blog.codinghorror.com/breaking-the-webs-cookie-jar/
Breaking the Web’s Cookie Jar

The Firefox add-in Firesheep caused quite an uproar a few weeks ago, and justifiably so. Here’s how it works: * Connect to a public, unencrypted WiFi network. In other words, a WiFi network that doesn’t require a password before you can connect to it. * Install Firefox and the Firesheep

Coding Horror
Show threadJeff AtwoodAug 30, 2025
I'm in this picture and I don't like it.
Show threadjavier 
@codinghorror how is stack exchange at all involved??
Aug 30, 2025 at 11:10pmWeb
Show threadJeff AtwoodAug 30, 2025
@javier every website on the world is involved
Show threadscyAug 31, 2025

@codinghorror @javier Websites that don't use cookies are not involved. Neither are websites that only use cookies that are _required_ for the website to function, e.g. session tokens.

It's only when you'd like to use cookies to track users and deliver personalized ads that you have to deal with this stuff.

It's a choice.

Most websites simply don't choose the privacy-friendly option.

Show threadJdeBPAug 31, 2025

@scy @codinghorror @javier

And tell themselves the comforting lie that it is the E.U. forcing them to do this.

#EULaw

Show threadVeronica OlsenAug 31, 2025

@JdeBP They peddle this bullshit very deliberately. Far too many users believe it's the EU's fault, when it is the predatory tech industry.

@scy @codinghorror @javier

Show threadDec [{()}]Sep 1, 2025
@veronica @JdeBP @scy @javier
Most people would expect someone like @codinghorror to know better.
So why didn't you know better, @codinghorror ?
Show threadfedithomAug 31, 2025
@scy
THIS!
@codinghorror @javier
Show threadClaudiusAug 31, 2025

@scy @codinghorror @javier one of the big problems nobody talks about: tech is largely only explained by entities who have no incentive to explain it *well*.

Google, Meta, large ad networks are all like "stupid EU makes us do Cookie banner".

While the actual regulation is actually pretty good. The regulation is basically "don't fuck around with user data. But if you do, you at least need to tell the user".

Show threadRealGene ☣️Aug 31, 2025

@claudius @scy @codinghorror @javier
I had to take a corporate-required online training on the GDPR. It was about 15 slides, very clearly explained what you could and could not collect without permission, and what you had to do to protect and dispose of the data when no longer needed. It took about 20 minutes to complete, and I got almost all of the 'learning assessment ' questions correct, which meant I didn't have to do it twice.

Of course, I wasn't within a thousand miles of working on the corporate websites that the knowledge applied to…

Show threadArneBabSep 1, 2025
@claudius That’s the best description I’ve seen so far -- thank you!
@scy @codinghorror @javier
Show threadolderAug 31, 2025

@codinghorror

No. Github is a good example.

@javier

Show threadcyAug 31, 2025
@codinghorror @javier No, it‘s not and you know that.
Show threadMagnus AhltorpSep 1, 2025
@codinghorror @javier This is definitely not true. Good websites don’t have nag questions that don’t even comply with the law, only pretending they do.