A coalition of 19 civil society organizations, academics, and companies called on the European Union to end cookie notices on websites. At issue are the pop-ups that force users to give consent every time they enter an internet page. Cookies are trackers that monitor user activity and allow companies to offer personalized advertising.
The group sent a letter to the European Commission asking member countries and MEPs to put an end to what they consider "annoying and misleading cookie advertising." The coalition argues that these notices do not actually protect users and are merely a form of manipulation.
The European Commission had proposed last year a reform of data protection rules that initially included plans to remove these annoying notices. However, according to the coalition, member states oppose this change.
