Browser setting rules could be dropped from new e-Privacy Regulation

摘要

Plans to compel web browser providers to ask users to set their privacy preferences could be scrapped, according to proposals under consideration by EU lawmakers. The European Commission had set out plans to require web browsers, and other providers of software that permit electronic communications, to inform users of their options to "prevent third parties from storing information on the terminal equipment of an end-user or processing information already stored on that equipment", and to require those users to select a particular privacy setting at the point of installation. However, the Austrian presidency of the Council of Ministers has now proposed to remove those provisions from the new e-Privacy Regulation that is being developed. The Austrian presidency said the original proposals had "raised a lot of concerns" related to "the burden for browsers and apps, the competition aspect, the link to fines for non-compliance but also the impact on end-users and the ability of this provision to address e.g. the issue of consent fatigue", it said.