Compliance of this site with GDPR is NOT acceptable

[Epicorus (Michael Schmdt)]

I haven’t visited the site lately, but when I did today I got quite the rude greeting!

Your personal data will be processed and information from your device (cookies, unique identifiers, and other device data) may be stored by, accessed by and shared with 136 TCF vendor(s) and 66 ad partner(s), or used specifically by this site or app.

Some vendors may process your personal data on the basis of legitimate interest, which you can object to by managing your options below. Look for a link at the bottom of this page or in our privacy policy where you can withdraw consent.

Unfortunately like some nicer sites there was no “reject all” option. In addition to quite a few clicks I had to make to reject this nonsense from what appears to be the place to manage options, there were also vendor options tucked away at the bottom of the page where I had to - by this time being thoroughly ticked off I actually counted - I had to click ONE HUNDRED AND TWO TIMES to object to my personal data being shared with over a hundred companies that, in my opinion, have no legitimate interest in my life and which I want to have nothing to do with.
(Update: I need to add that nowhere was I able to even find the site’s privacy policy where I supposedly could withdraw consent. If it’s there, it’s not easy enough to find!)

And then, after all this work while I was trying to copy/paste all this to document it, somehow I accidentally dismissed the button - and I have no idea if my wishes were honored, or if it decided that (against my will) I had somehow magically consented despite having clicked well over a hundred times to express my explicit objection to this occurring. Rather than waste yet more time trying to fix this it is likely I will just simply not visit this site any more!

Needless to say this was a great detour when I was simply looking for some information, and the disruption it has caused was great enough for me to waste more time raising my objection here where hopefully it will bring more visibility to the problem and cause some change to get rid of this issue.

[Mark_Wonsil]

This site uses the Discourse.Org opensource forum software. You may want to check out what they say here in their privacy policy:

Privacy policy

[jgiese.wci (Joshua Giese)]

As @Mark_Wonsil mentioned we are using a framework and are not at all in control of or responsible for the framework. We can modify things to a certain extent, but we’ve only ever done UI changes. Can you describe more what you were getting. We have never seen anything like that ourselves.

Our own privacy policy is available through the about page in the left hamburger menu

or from a quick google search, but what you are describing sounds different.

[josecgomez]

The message you are referring to is the GDPR Compliance message and it is managed by Google (and its advertisers) not us.

It is setup to comply with the fairly ridiculous requirements of GDPR which requires that you consent to every 3rd party or advertiser that you may interact with directly. There is also an accept all options which I’m guessing you just refused to click.

Same for the Ad partners

We don’t have an option to decline or decline all because running this site costs money and we need the ad revenue to do so.

If you don’t want to accept our advertising you don’t have to visit the site… You yourself said you haven’t been here for a while looks like since September. So feel free to not consent or not use the site .

But frankly the attitude given, about a free site, that provides you with free information is unwarranted. I would have gladly looked into other options if the question had been asked politely. I understand your “experience” was frustrating, but imagine what it is like on this side