YouTube’s ad blocker crackdown isn’t just annoying, it could be illegal in Europe
www.theverge.com
Can YouTube legally block ad blockers in the EU?

YouTube’s ad blocking crackdown is facing a new challenge: privacy laws | Privacy advocates argue YouTube’s ad blocker restrictions violate the European Union’s online privacy laws.::YouTube is launching a “global effort” to crack down on ad blockers, but some privacy advocates in the European Union argue that it’s illegal.

        • AMillionNames@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          0·
          11 months ago

          In the US there was a period of time where it was illegal to export encryption above a certain level, so in a way it has already happened. Dumb has never stopped governments before.

            • Kissaki@feddit.deEnglish
              0·
              11 months ago

              There was a proposal to have webbrowsers have to accept government certificates. Consequently they could man-in-the-middle/take over domains.

              You could argue it’s no different from another central authority that can issue trusted certificates. But it’s government’s rather than independent orgs.

  • Ragerist@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    11 months ago

    Wouldn’t Netflix’s password sharing fall under the same law then?

    They use user information like connected wifi and position data to determine if a device is used away from the defined “home”.

    • Khanzarate@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      11 months ago

      No.

      Netflix logging your IP is the equivalent of taking a photo of someone in public. Not ideal if you’re into privacy, but it’s a public place, so it’s your problem. YouTube’s Adblock detection is equivalent to patting them down to see if they have a weapon and requiring their ID. The software actively looks for changes, using technology that could detect what extensions you have installed, gather data to profile you better for ads, and monitor what you’re doing in your browser while the tab is open.

      Both are ultimately for the same purpose, to prevent people from avoiding to pay them, but methods matter.

        • MrOxiMoron@lemmy.worldEnglish
          0·
          11 months ago

          Wow, so basically blacklisting email sender’s on ip address isn’t allowed either? When is an IP address, an individual and when is it just a machine in the cloud?

          • Kissaki@feddit.deEnglish
            0·
            11 months ago

            What matters is the association of the IP to a person or account. If you receive spam and block the source IP it’s not personal data. If you create an account on a website and they store your IP to it then it is.

            Handling IPs for necessary technical service protection can also be acceptable without explicit consent as long as it’s limited/temporary (you may be able to handle that without account association in the first place anyway).