Human society is full of problems. Now most of human society uses the internet and not only the more educated, privileged ones. So obviously all the ordinary problems came to the internet.

But I don't see how regulation would have prevented that, nor any improvement of any regulation so far.

It seems a little disingenuous to say that you can't see how the GDPR has improved the privacy situation online, unless you didn't care about it before it was a thing and still don't care about it now.

Well then tell me: did it stop anyone from tracking me?

Did it stop facebook from manipulating the communication of their users? Did it stop google from harvesting data out of most websites?

It mostly just created work and more annoying banners for people to click away, but no real improvement I see. But you see more? Maybe you mean the recent discussion in germany that landlords might have to remove the names on the door? Or new opportunities for bored and greedy lawers to sue websites who did not care or knew enough and don't have lawers on their own?

I have succesfully used it to get my data removed from services where that would be impossible in the past (most notably, everyone who sends me emails that they feel I desire). There are more examples (like companies that finally have to think about what they're collecting and how), but on a personal level I think that's the most tangible and best one.

If people actually implemented a cookie banner that was compliant, I would like that they are there. Because that means I could filter them away and I could be safe in the knowledge there were no tracking cookies. As it stands, you can see a lot of angry people making things that sound acceptable in the US (by continuing to browse, you agree to [...]) but is actually just not compliant. That's a sad state of affairs, but it's not the fault of the GDPR in my view.

Yesterday I sent two GDPR requests to two companies that would not stop spamming our address with physical junk mail, addressed to us by name.

In the request I requested all the data they had on us, their reason for keeping it and how they obtained it. Secondly, I demanded they remove us from all of their databases, including those of their vendors.

This is now my good right under the GDPR and I am very happy that these tools exist to allow simple citizens like me to reign in untouchable companies' use of my personal data. It measurably improves my life.

I don't see how the GDPR not preventing Google from harvesting website data is in any way relevant or a measure of GDPR usefulness.

It definitely has not. Let's say company X allows company Y to access data that is personally identifiable. X is located in the EU, whereas company Y is not. Y promises to allow persons to delete their data upon request. However, there is no way that a person know their data has been shared from X to Y until they want to delete their data. At that point, who knows how far the data has spread or if it is even possible to track down. Y could have shared the data with any number of third parties, or may even be incapable of finding every reference to an individual and since it is not EU governed it will be difficult to ever bring Y to court.

Beyond the giants the only thing the GDPR practically did was double the amount of cookie popups you see on the web, and the suppoused harsh consequences don't work if so many organizations are doing it that the bureaucracy can't keep up

I'd say the internet is better and more useful than it's ever been. Some parts can be improved, but if we look at the track record of regulations so far it definitely looks more 'cure is worse than the disease'.

> Google and Facebook running the show.

It only runs the show if you let them. You can still live outside of the Google/Facebook world happily.

No, you can’t. Not unless you stop living in Europe or the US or any other place that has internet. I don’t have a Facebook account, but I’m certain Facebook knows all it needs to know from friends who shared pictures and tagged me, from people who uploaded their address book which included my phone number, from companies that uploaded my data as part of a targeted audience list. You cannot opt out of this part of the data collection. And all the policies that Facebook promotes, all the social dialogue it shapes, this affects me, too. I cannot possibly opt out of that either.

Facebook under GDPR isn’t allowed to create a shadow profile of EU citizens: all consent has to be opt-in. OK, so they could have some legitimate interest argument, but I find it hard to believe that’d fly in an EU court. They’re also not allowed to use the consent of your associates to process your personal information without your own opt-in consent. So it’s going to be interesting when the first court case with Facebook as a defendant against the GDPR happens.

Let’s see if that happens, but that’s tangential to the point. The GP was asserting that you can just ignore Facebook/Google and that act alone will remove all (ill) effect it might have on your life. I’m asserting this is false. If that effect is reduced by regulation, then this is the opposite of ignorance, it’s actively shaping what these actors can and cannot do.

As far as “social dialogue,” who cares? There is nothing on Facebook that is actually important unless you let it be. Not a single thing happening on Facebook makes one bit of difference to my daily life.

A huge chunk of people uses Facebook, like it or not. Facebook shapes what they see and how they see it, it at least partially shapes their perception of society. And even if you and me opt out of Facebook, the way Facebook shapes that dialogue for that huge chunk of people does affect your daily live.

> It only runs the show if you let them.

A few billion in fines for anti competitive behavior would disagree. Google does not want you to have a choice.

> You can still live outside of the Google/Facebook world happily.

Can you? Most restaurants in my area publish their hours and menus using Facebook, others integrate themselves with Google. And how could I fault them? It certainly is cheaper than what they did in the past, paying for a minimal website to do the same. Unless some government comes down on them hard they will continue to infect every aspect of modern live.

I may be an anomaly, but I live in Mountain View and never once looked up restaurant hours on Facebook. Yelp (which I despise,) Google, TripAdvisor and other sites generally have business hours. You could even call the restaurant to get hours! Old fashioned, I know. Maybe I am in a bubble in Silicon Valley but I never have to interact with Facebook to get things done. My kids school, frustratingly, has a What’s App group for parents, but I don’t even need to interact with that to know what’s going on.

All the people lamenting Facebook: simply stop using it.

> Can you?

Yes, you can. Nobody is holding a gun on your head to use Facebook and Google. You don't have to look up restaurants using these services, and if your restaurant is not listed there, you can go in person, or call you know? Or avoid such restaurants altogether. There is absolutely no obligation except habits that have formed over time. And habits can be broken.

See for yourself how many sites run Google AdSense and Analytics. It was eye opening for me. Google is the internet.

With regulation what can be done with them tho