This is a nerdy question about internet regulation and cookie notifications maybe for @privacyint or @cyberleagle, @Foxglovelegal?

Has anyone looked into the way most websites now get around GDPR and discourage users from opting out of tracking cookies? It goes like this…

It is now standard that in order to meet GDPR / ePrivacy Directive requirements websites must obtain your active consent for all but essential cookies.

But most do this by offering you two just options ‘accept all' cookies or manage them.

If you don’t ‘accept all’ and click cookie settings, the default settings are always just the essential cookies.

Almost all websites impose this extra step on a user who does NOT want to consent to ALL cookies. And off-puttingly describe it as managing your ‘settings'.

It’s a mind trick. It makes it seem like cookie settings are off by default. But users must actively choose to manage settings before they get what should be the default option.

It makes opting out of trackers HARDER than opting in, despite purpose of GDPR being the opposite.