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 thought this article was a good, brief discussion on cookie banners. The summary is that the EU didn’t mandate cookie banners, just acquiring consent. And they forbid common dark patterns making the “no” option more difficult to submit. It’s the tech industry that settled on the terrible banners, and many of them (most?) don’t actually conform to the law’s requirements.
A great thing about the banners is that it’s not immediately obvious to everyone that websites are trying to track their every step online. The banners are annoying, but at least it pushes the tech industry to play with open cards.