UK "No Tracking Law" Now In Effect

Fluffeh writes "The British Gov might have more cameras up on street corners than just about anywhere else in the world, but it seems that the Gov doesn't want anyone else stepping on the privacy of their folks. In what the media have dubbed the 'Cookie Law' all operators of websites in Britain must notify users of the tracking that the website does. This doesn't only cover cookies, but all forms of tracking and analytics performed on visitors. While there are potential fines up up to 500,000 pounds (Over US$750,000) for websites not following these new rules, the BBC announced that very few websites are ready, even most of its own sites aren't up to speed — and amusingly even the governments own websites aren't ready."

Comments

do as I say, not as I do.

[Nyder]

Been hearing this my whole life.

Re:do as I say, not as I do.

[Splab]

Silly to post something like this when European obviously aren't around to debunk the crap in TFA.

It's not about the British Government not wanting others to snoop on their citizens; the no cookie law is a European mandate and all member nations are required to implement it within the next few years.

And yes, most sites are going to have some real trouble implementing this.

You maniacs! You blew it up!

[jholyhead]

This is another example of what happens when you let computer illiterate politicians have a say in technology regulations

To be fair, the ICO has proven itself utterly inept when it comes to enforcing its own regulations - I can't see them doing any better with this idiocy.

Re:You maniacs! You blew it up!

[1s44c]

Fascists don't want money, they want power. Money will just turn up as offerings from servants. The fascist dream is an abhorrent crime with a heavy punishment that everyone is guilty of.

Anytime you don't seem subservient enough they lock you up for this crime whilst ignoring everyone else who did nothing to get their attention.

1984 called it 'thought-crime'. The UK government recently re-branded it 'terrorism' and removed the requirement to have any evidence whatsoever. Maybe they want to expand their list of criminals to everyone with a website.

Pretty much emotional stageplay

[Anonymous Coward]

At the same time as this happens across all of Europe, they roll out INDECT and the Data Retention Directive.

How about I follow each of the MEPs around and write down on a list everyone they speak to, when they speak and where, over the course of 6 months? That would probably mark me as a terrorist.

Re:It "might", but it doesn't.

[Anonymous Coward]

The British Gov might have more cameras up on street corners than just about anywhere else in the world

It doesn't, though. The whole "eleventy billion cameras in the UK" thing was made up by one of the screaming right-wing tabloids a few years ago, by counting all the CCTV cameras in about a half-mile stretch of the main street of a fairly scummy part of London, and multiplying by the total length of all the roads in the UK. So, the figure is probably accurate *if* you assume that every single road in the UK has lots of off-licenses, bookmakers, cheque cashing centres, "we buy scrap gold" shops the like - but, it isn't. For the figures to be correct, you'd have to have something like one camera every 60 metres or so on *every single road* right down to farm tracks.

Most cities in the UK have no more CCTV than cities in the US - and if you think US cities don't have CCTV then I wonder what you think CCTV cameras look like...

Slash-groupthink at its best. This is a group that will argue for hours over each subclause of copyright law, but will never question statements like this. (That and figure out that the UK != England).

Re:Idiots

[Anonymous Coward]

Membership in the EU or the EEC is not the same thing as membership in the Euro (i.e. the currency). The UK is very much part of the EU despite not using the Euro.

captcha: "informs"
Fancy that.

Re:Idiots

[jones_supa]

Then by all logic, ain't you in part fault for that by leaving?