Data Protection and Cookies: A critical review of the GDPR

Abstract

This thesis explores the effectiveness of the GDPR in regulating cookies and the implementation of measures to protect user privacy. By analyzing various studies, this thesis examines overarching themes including human behavior; technical and legal knowledge; trust; risk and power; and the prevalence of dark patterns, misleading designs and nudging. Additionally, this study looks further into the Privacy Paradox and considers the implications of the proposed ePrivacy Regulation. These findings reveal the complexity and challenges in ensuring robust data protection, highlighting areas where the GDPR’s goals do not correlate with the results found. This analysis aims to provide insight into the current data protection landscape and offers recommendations for enhancing data privacy guidelines in the digital age.

This thesis explores the effectiveness of the GDPR in regulating cookies and the implementation of measures to protect user privacy. By analyzing various studies, this thesis examines overarching themes including human behavior; technical and legal knowledge; trust; risk and power; and the prevalence of dark patterns, misleading designs and nudging. Additionally, this study looks further into the Privacy Paradox and considers the implications of the proposed ePrivacy Regulation. These findings reveal the complexity and challenges in ensuring robust data protection, highlighting areas where the GDPR’s goals do not correlate with the results found. This analysis aims to provide insight into the current data protection landscape and offers recommendations for enhancing data privacy guidelines in the digital age.