Hacker News Reader

wtfstatistson Section 230: A Key Legal Shield for Facebook, Google Is About to Change

Why is state outsourcing the job they are getting paid taxes for and expecting private sector to do it for free ?

wtfstatistson Tech Giants Set to Face 3% Tax on Revenue Under New EU Plan

> The EU needs to show that the social contract is non-negotiable,

By raising new consumption tax ? Its not going to work. Thats not how you fund socialism lol.

I am big believer of AnCap and we should see few successful ancap societies in 10yrs. French Polynesian Floating Island may even be completed before 2020.

https://wiki.mises.org/wiki/Anarcho-capitalism

https://www.seasteading.org/floating-islands-project-in-fren...

wtfstatistson GDPR – A Practical Guide for Developers (2017)

> A list of URLs can potentially identify a person's religious beliefs, sexual orientation, political views etc.

But can he be identified ? I believe if its too difficult to identify using even "religious beliefs, sexual orientation, political views etc" then its not personal data. Though I cant seem to find link to the page where I read it.

On similar note, even IP _alone_ appears to be non personal data if since it cannot identify a person [1].

From Case 582/14 – Patrick Breyer v Germany [2]

On appeal, the Regional Court of Berlin (the "Kammergericht") ruled that IP addresses in the hands of website operators could qualify as personal data if the relevant individual provides additional details to the website operator (e.g., name, email address, etc.) in the course of using the website.

Lol even German Govt cant seem to figure out its own laws. They should have gone to one of those consultants.

[1] https://www.gdpreu.org/the-regulation/key-concepts/personal-...

[2] https://www.whitecase.com/publications/alert/court-confirms-...

wtfstatistson GDPR – A Practical Guide for Developers (2017)

Lets say I have a bookmark file which contain list of urls. It is associated with one user account. Its likely associated with one person but I cannot identify that person. There is no other information associated with the user account. Is the bookmark file personal data ?

wtfstatistson Why the U.S. Treasury Killed a Latvian Bank

I am just reading off internet too. So I may be wrong.

In large indirections (or nesting), there is risk for both depositer and CB. Depositer would have to trust more banks in the chain. For CB nesting means harder to be KYC/KYCC/AML complient [1]. Due to the recent and growing derisking phenomena, nesting is not going to survive.

Eurodollar reads like just another name for correspondent banking, which was also used to escape USA regulations. But no longer works. In 2016, BofA dropped Belize Bank (largest bank by assets) after 35-yrs of relationship with no explaination other than regulatory pressure [2]. And thats how USG get a bank whereever it might be.

Regarding "a dollar balance held in London", unless you mean hard cash, the amount is just a ledger entry in FedWire. So US is very much involved [3].

[1] https://bizfluent.com/info-10002124-correspondent-payable-th...

[2] https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-bank...

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_for_Worldwide_Interban...

wtfstatistson Why the U.S. Treasury Killed a Latvian Bank

No because to really hold USD, your bank would need its own account on FedWire [1] (USD's Real Time Gross Settlement) in which money is legally guranteed. Alternatively your bank can have an account with a bank (called Correspondent Bank) that have account on FedWire.

Any more indirections would be too risky. If your bank has neither, then no other bank would talk to your bank over SWIFT/CHIPS/RIPPLE/etc, making your bank basically banned from USD banking.

Usually and and in this case, even accusations or investigation of money-laundering/etc would make a CB to derisk [2][3] and proactively cancel account of accused bank or CB would risk access to FedWire. This is how USG was able to force FATCA over the world.

[1] https://www.federalreserve.gov/paymentsystems/fedfunds_about...

[2] https://google.com/search?q=correspondent+bank+de+risking

[3] https://www.americanexpress.com/us/content/foreign-exchange/...

wtfstatistson How GDPR Will Change The Way You Develop

Not all private data is stored for commercial reasons. People themselves want to store their lives, make use of advancement in IT and improve their lives. Now what about those data ? If its stored in a computer connected to internet then its at the risk of data breaches. Its even easier as a typical user is not capable nor can he detect such attacks (see botneting toasters).

So if the rationale for GDPR to reduce data breaches or to deny private data to future rouge govt, then it fails. Private data will still exist even if its not commercialzed. Its irrelevent who control it (user or company) as long as its connected to internet, there is risk of data breaches.

Unless you propose to go back to storing actual photos in actual albums. ITT im not sure.

wtfstatistson How GDPR Will Change The Way You Develop

The biggest issue to user's privacy has traditionally been data breaches.

Peoples lives and most intimate details is going to be stored as bits. Get used to it.

Whether for targeting purpose (Facebook) or personal reasons (Strava). Whether stored on remote servers or home. It wont affect likeliness of data breaches. Focus on good software designs and let programmers design such systems in peace.

All this needed was fine for data breaches. Not the mess called GDPR.

wtfstatistson IRS Notification

The aim would be make govts scared of losing tax dollars and get more bang for buck. So switching even state would work.

wtfstatistson IRS Notification

True but lets take it as punishment for not voting with feet before. Get out while you can, its only going to get worse.

wtfstatistson Politics is a Mind-Killer (2007)

Politics is just the process of mind killing. Its unlimited democracy and people's habit to collectively decide about everything possible. When everyone gets vote on everything, manipulating others (and yourself) can result in real gain.

wtfstatistson Facebook ordered to delete illegally collected data by Belgian court

it's not easy to tell your shareholders you're going to ignore it.

It can be if there is too much risk or uncertainity. It can be even easier if there is anti-business characteristics to the policies.

I would say EU classify as such.

wtfstatistson Facebook ordered to delete illegally collected data by Belgian court

There's zero consent here no matter how you cut it.

Thats not true. You implicity consent to usage policy of that website which then gave permission to FB. Ofcourse GDPR makes it illegel but until May 25 its not.

wtfstatistson Facebook ordered to delete illegally collected data by Belgian court

If Facebook tracks me outside of Facebook's website because that other website has tracking code or a like button (which I didn't click) and I don't have an account on Facebook, I'm not ok with that.

Then your beef is not with FB but the website which _chose_ to embed FB like button. You should stop using that website if you are not ok.

wtfstatistson Google removes ‘view image’ button from search results

Its not about Google but user. This infringes on user's freedom. Google just happen to be a provider of the banned feature.

wtfstatistson German court rules Facebook use of personal data illegal

I see so now are literally extorting.

wtfstatistson GDPR: sorting the fact from the fiction

Expanding on this, official guideline on consent [1] gives 2 relevant examples. TLDR: you cannot offer no, degraded or higher-priced service if consent is not given. I would say this is effectively banning targeted ads as revenue stream. IMO this goes too far.

[Example 1]

A mobile app for photo editing asks its users to have their GPS localisation activated for the use of its services.

The app also tells its users it will use the collected data for behavioural advertising purposes. Neither geo-localisation or online behavioural advertising are necessary for the provision of the photo editing service and go beyond the delivery of the core service provided. Since users cannot use the app without consenting to these purposes, the consent cannot be considered as being freely given.

[Example 6]

A bank asks customers for consent to use their payment details for marketing purposes. This processing activity is not necessary for the performance of the contract with the customer and the delivery of ordinary bank account services. If the customer’s refusal to consent to this processing purpose would lead to the denial of banking services, closure of the bank account, or an increase of the fee, consent cannot be freely given or revoked.

[1] http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/just/document.cfm?doc_id=48849

wtfstatistson Google fined in India for search bias

Your explaination is incomplete. Its based on anti-monopoly laws being reasonable which you have yet to prove.

wtfstatistson US startups don’t want to go public anymore

How does license help ?

wtfstatistson With ePrivacy looming, German publishers scramble to get users logged in

Which many wont. Yet business still have to provide same service as someone who has. Cost remains same but now profit reduced drastically. Thus its not economical to provide to EU.

IMO this demands more attention from HN: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16314101

wtfstatistson With ePrivacy looming, German publishers scramble to get users logged in

From recent official clarification (dated 28 Nov 2017) http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/just/document.cfm?doc_id=48849

[Example 1]

A mobile app for photo editing asks its users to have their GPS localisation activated for the use of its services.

The app also tells its users it will use the collected data for behavioural advertising purposes. Neither geo-localisation or online behavioural advertising are necessary for the provision of the photo editing service andgo beyond the delivery of the core service provided. Since users cannot use the app without consenting to thesepurposes, the consent cannot be considered as being freely given.

[Example 6]

You appear to be right. GDPR effectively bans targeted ads in EU which means a significant source of revenue, enough to be fatal, is now illegal. It seems to me that EU does not like private data as payment.

I wish good luck to citzens and businesses cause I certainly wouldnt/couldnt, as a business, provide EU.

wtfstatistson With ePrivacy looming, German publishers scramble to get users logged in

Unless the business can show that private data is necessery for good service which it is as data brings more revenue, and more revenue enables good service.

So a user would have two options: 1. Disagree, pay with money, 2. Agree, pay with private data.

All looks GDPR-compliant.

wtfstatistson With ePrivacy looming, German publishers scramble to get users logged in

You are debating different thing. The debate is, can a business deny service, or offer degraded service instead, if no consent is given. Nothing I have read suggest otherwise.

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A3...

4. When assessing whether consent is freely given, utmost account shall be taken of whether, inter alia, the performance of a contract, including the provision of a service, is conditional on consent to the processing of personal data that is not necessary for the performance of that contract.

wtfstatistson Bitcoin has a huge scaling problem–Lightning could be the solution

> uses a more power efficient mining algorithm

Thats axiomatically impossible. Its the amount of energy required, not nhashes/etc, that disincentivize an attacker from rewriting history.

wtfstatistson With ePrivacy looming, German publishers scramble to get users logged in

Private Data is necessery for Ads. Ads are necessery for Revenue. Revenue is necessery to provide Service.

Whats the problem ?

wtfstatistson How Nike Avoids Paying Taxes in Australia

And this is 'capitalism' done right. Part of governments role is to create a 'level playing field' for business and stop a handful of larger/international companies having a non business advantage.

States do not exist over capitalism but under it. States competing for tax money is capitalism working perfectly, and about time this tax nonsense (or atleast overcharging productive class) comes to halt.

To give an contrarian opinion, I am extremely happy that states are finally made to work for the money.

wtfstatistson Commission fines Qualcomm €997 million for abuse of dominant market position

Ah yes I misunderstood from "The fine represents 4.9% of Qualcomm's turnover in 2017." as mentioned in the official press release.

I know its offtopic, but GDPR calculates based on global revenue.

wtfstatistson Commission fines Qualcomm €997 million for abuse of dominant market position

When calculating fine why does EU considers global revenue rather than from EU ?

Nations are supposed to respect each others decisions. Both are USA companies and USA is ok with this practice, why does EU disrespect USA's stance ?

wtfstatistson Commission fines Qualcomm €997 million for abuse of dominant market position

> In that case Apple is still free to just buy a few percent of the chips they need from a different supplier,

If supplier only needed few % sales from Apple, then Apple could have just given them money for other reasons (funding etc). Thus no loss of choice for consumers. This case is simply money grab.

If those % of sales are not enough, then supplier dies. Loss of choice but now due to legal means.