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> This is just going to be another way for EU regulators to smack around Google and Facebook.

Actually, it's more like a giant gift to Google and Facebook: GDPR borders on regulatory capture, with only the giants really having the resources to comply properly. This will hurt startups and smaller firms far more than it will the big dogs with their armies of compliance lawyers.



That assumes enforcement will be homogeneous.


I'm sure there will be a lot of hipster-trolls suing left and right, trying to make a name for themselves.


This isn't the US, the law is enforced by governments, not lawsuits.


Actually one new thing about the GDPR is that consumer rights organisations can sue companies/organisations to enforce privacy rights.

Max Schrems (who's case killed Safe Harbour) has set up an org None of your Business (https://noyb.eu) to do exactly this.


I lack legal experties, but I'd assume you will easily be able to sue any company and claim they infringe somehow on your rights as stated by this GDPR; maybe I'm wrong.

I attended a GCP event and I could practically see the hipsters pupils dilate/mouth foaming as they went in the hisper frenzy "this GDPR is a huuuge opportunity".


You can write a complaint to responsible institutions that then chose how to act (send a warning to violating company, issue them fine, start an investigation etc.) You cannot sue companies yourself, unless you can prove that (big) damage was done to you as a direct consequence of violation, then you can seek compensation via civil lawsuit.




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