A last-minute flurry of emails from companies trying to retain customers ahead of the deadline for Europe’s new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has prompted a slew of complaints - and memes - on social media.
Friday is the last day for companies to comply with GDPR regulations and as a result, inboxes around the world are clogging up with emails warnings that “the privacy policy has changed” and pleas to “just click here so we can stay in touch”.
The whole process has inspired the internet to rope in everyone from Julian Assange to Donald Trump to Prince William in an attempt to illustrate their frustration at the electronic onslaught.
DO YOU STILL WANT TO GET OUR EMAILS AFTER GDPR TAKES EFFECT? pic.twitter.com/oyx65FHNTC
— Cirque du SoLame (@_Katenip) May 23, 2018
DO YOU STILL WANT TO GET MY EMAILS AFTER GDPR TAKES EFFECT? pic.twitter.com/I82jjIPKLo
— Mark Gillies (@5goalthriller) May 23, 2018
DO YOU STILL WANT TO GET MY EMAILS AFTER GDPR TAKES EFFECT pic.twitter.com/BuchzIh1zB
— Declan Cashin-Chalamet-Porowski-B.Jordan (@Tweet_Dec) May 23, 2018
DO YOU STILL WANT TO GET OUR EMAILS AFTER GDPR TAKES EFFECT? pic.twitter.com/zNVFMRRAqM
— Mnrrnt & 200 others (@Mnrrnt) May 23, 2018
When you’re the only person in Britain wishing you could receive emails about GDPR pic.twitter.com/ZEAxbpEKlD
— Mo' (@mocent0) May 23, 2018
The breadth of organisations captured by the new laws surprised some.
Even Rage Against The Machine has to abide by GDPR. pic.twitter.com/XY7qdToo46
— Gareth Milner (@mrgarethm) May 23, 2018
Some admired the marketing tactics.
Labour GDPR email. You will “ruin Jeremy’s birthday” if you don’t sign up. pic.twitter.com/lRXe9yNQzP
— Alex Wickham (@WikiGuido) May 23, 2018
My favourite GDPR email so far pic.twitter.com/K7tFFNsE09
— Hafsa (@hafsa_alrifai) May 23, 2018
While others saw the irony in it.
Ironic that the GDPR has almost certainly unleashed the biggest torrent of spam in the history of the internet.
— Alistair Cunningham (@Cunningham_UK) May 23, 2018
Earlier this week, the term “GDPR” appeared to be trending higher in Google Search volume than Beyonce.
GDPR is bigger than Beyoncé https://t.co/KvXvrEDtth pic.twitter.com/rWPtslNayz
— Jason Karaian (@jkaraian) May 22, 2018
The new law is a replacement for the 1995 Data Protection Directive, which has until now set the minimum standards for processing data in the EU.
GDPR will significantly strengthen a number of rights: individuals will find themselves with more power to demand companies reveal or delete the personal data they hold; regulators will be able to work in concert across the EU for the first time, rather than having to launch separate actions in each jurisdiction; and their enforcement actions will have real teeth, with the maximum fine now reaching the higher of €20m (£17.5m) or 4% of the company’s global turnover.
