I almost never make original posts on here, but something's been bothering me lately and I don't know where else to discuss this so here goes nothing.
I've noticed over the last few months/years a sharp increase in the number of websites requesting I accept cookies to use their services, not just to allow them to display ads, but specifically so that their "partners" (aka their clients, bc "partners" is just the bs, palatable term for it) can access my personal data to eventually display personalised ads. And the websites are getting really aggressive about that too. Like, some of them I can't access anymore unless I subscribe (which, no thanks, I just need to check something quick, I don't want to pay 2 or 3€ a month for this) or accept the fucking cookies and personalised ads and I just... don't get it? I mean, I'm not preventing you from displaying ads, I don't care and I know you need advertising to survive, whatever, that's fine. But why do you need my data for this? Why do you need the advertising companies to request personal information about me to (usually incorrectly) deduce my consuming habits and force some useless product on me?
It might be because I'm European and we have stronger laws and regulations about protecting personal data; it might be that something that used to be enforced without my knowledge or my consent has recently become more transparent, and it bothers me now but really i should have always been bothered; it might be because I'm a millenial and I'm seeing the Internet become more of a dumpster fire every year.
Either way, I genuinely do not get it. Companies want/need ad revenue? Sure, go ahead, display ads, I don't care. Just don't expect me to cave to your pitiful attempt at pressuring me to accept cookies and data collection so that your "partners" may attempt to sell me something I don't need anyway.
Honestly, this is complete horseshit and I do not care for it one bit.
Sorry for the rant, and if anyone wants to react/try to explain the logic behind those strategies, please discuss. I might actually come to understand what the fuck is going on.