Am I crazy or is this website not allowing me to opt out of cookie tracking unless I sign up for a subscription?

I know the EU cookie banners have basically ruined the internet, but this seems like a whole 'nother level of obnoxious.

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buzer 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

It's called "pay-or-okay" (or "consent-or-pay") and there hasn't been many decisions on it yet which has led noyb to sue German DPAs: https://noyb.eu/en/years-inactivity-pay-or-ok-cases-noyb-sue...

There is one case where DPA ruled in favor of the company, but it's currently being appealed: https://noyb.eu/en/pay-or-ok-der-spiegel-noyb-sues-hamburg-d...

Another one ruled against company and court agreed: https://noyb.eu/en/court-decides-pay-or-okay-derstandardat-i...

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Lio 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

It's not EU cookie banners that have ruined the internet, it's malicious compliance and dark pattens on behalf of those that want to track you.

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petcat an hour ago | parent [-]

The EU's own government websites have these same cookie banners. Are they maliciously compliant with their own regulations?

EU made bad laws that have encouraged this kind of behavior. And now we're all suffering.

Look at the CCPA in California for legislation that accomplishes largely the same goals, but doesn't break the web due to "malicious compliance".

	▲	troupo 5 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		> The EU's own government websites have these same cookie banners. Most of them decidedly don't have the same cookie banners. E.g. in vast majority of cases they don't prevent you from seeing content, and have an easy opt-out mechanism without dark patterns.

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mattrighetti an hour ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> Am I crazy or is this website not allowing me to opt out of cookie tracking unless I sign up for a subscription?

Extremely common practice for newspapers websites, unfortunately.

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jwr 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

As a reminder "EU cookie banners" are not required if you use cookies for site functionality. They are only required if your site uses these to track users.

This needs repeating, it's a common misconception (deliberately spread by many, too) that the EU requires cookie banners for all cookies.

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GuB-42 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Very common on EU news websites.

Workarounds include:

- reader mode

- "behind the overlay" extension (and others like it)

- archive.is

- probably many others

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netsharc 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

When they force that, it's an invitation for me to open it in an incognito window. Track all you want, assholes!

	▲	bayindirh 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Try the demo on this site: https://fingerprint.com/demo Both in incognito and normal modes. I bet you'll get the same fingerprinting ID in both. So yes, they can track you in incognito mode, too.

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m132 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

This is what made me disable JavaScript by default in 2018. I didn't even get this banner.

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pmontra 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

You are correct. Reader mode on Firefox shows the full article though.

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stavros 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Wow, yeah, that seems... illegal, no?

	▲	wronex 3 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Im pretty sure it is illegal. In my understanding, it must be equally easy to reject and accept. And the website MUST continue working under either choice. Which is not the case here. I think the lawmakers should have made all forms of tracking illegal instead. That would make law writing and following easier. And closer to the spirit of what they are trying to accomplish and what everyone wants (except you Silicon Valley O.o)
	▲	Carbon1603 an hour ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Nope, completely legal.

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esafak 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

You Reject the undesirable ones (all!) and click Agree to Selected.

	▲	SahAssar 2 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		On these you usually can't reject them. It says > Data processing by advertising providers including personalised advertising with profiling (Consent required for free use)
	▲	em-bee 2 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		doesn't work, they don't let you unselect anything. you have to accept everything or pay. very frustrating because especially a tech magazine like heise should really know better