The European Union’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA) is a complex, many-legged beast, but at root, it is a regulation that aims to make it easier for the public to control the technology they use and rely on. One DMA rule forces the powerful “gatekeeper” tech companies to allow third-party app stores....
I'm so incredibly grateful that the EU is really trying to fix the internet. Also grateful to organization like the EFF that try to do the same. I recently became a donor as I think their work really is critical.
Can you believe the shit these companies would do if it wasn't for the EU and their regulation? It'd be a dystopia (well, more than it already is at least).
As much as I like the concept of GDPR, i think it didn't fo far enough. EU tried, but they should've thought it through a few more times. For example I would've loved for the cookie warning to have a mandated "No to everything, get fucked, and never ask about access from this IP again."-button
Essentially that's mandated. Companies don't do it... But that is the law. And they can store a cookie with that info without requiring permission as it is essential to performing that action.
Those banners are the perfect example of malicious compliance! The data collecting companies did their best to barely comply but in the most annoying way. Just to point out, that it is the GDPRs/EUs fault your internet browsing experience got so much worse!
I highly recommend at least using the content blocker uBlock Origin!
In addition to donating directly, fellow video games enjoyer can support the EFF by just buying games at humble bundle store and choosing EFF as the supported charity.
I feel like polls always underestimate the popularity of the far-right. Look at the latest election in NL for example - all the media was reporting that it was a 3-way race between NSC, PvdA/GL and VVD. PVV was projected a distant 4th and was practically forgotten about. Of course, we all know the result - PVV beat each of them by almost 10%!!!
So really, people need to stop believing so much in those stupid fucking polls and projections. The far-right is real and needs to be taken very seriously. Assume that they'll always get 10% minimum more than projections say.
I recently read this article by Baldur Bjarnason about Apple continuously misinterpreting the DMA. It's has a rather cynical opinion of the EU but I liked how it tries to explain the actions Apple has recently taken. If Apple can't bully the EU into into allowing their bullshit, Meta and big tech companies wont fare any better.