GDPR memes and jokes: The funniest reactions to pesky data protection emails
Exasperated customers have taken to the internet to poke fun at businesses scrambling to comply with new EU data protection laws.
Firms across the continent have been spamming subscribers to ask their explicit permission to keep emailing them, as per the incoming GDPR legislation.
The new rules, which come into effect on Friday, are intended to overhaul how businesses process and handle individuals' personal data.
Aaron Levie joked on Twitter: "The future of email is just receiving GDPR privacy notices until your inbox fills up and you no longer have the will to use email anymore."
All of these GDPR notices from sites you haven't visited in years should tell you one thing.
No one deletes the data once they get the data.— Chet Faliszek (@chetfaliszek) May 24, 2018
Cirque du SoLame likened firms' interrogations to those conducted by a certain baddie from far, far away...
DO YOU STILL WANT TO GET OUR EMAILS AFTER GDPR TAKES EFFECT? pic.twitter.com/oyx65FHNTC
— Cirque du SoLame (@_Katenip) May 23, 2018
While comedian David Schneider thought the queries were more Saruman than Sith lord.
DO YOU STILL WANT TO GET OUR EMAILS AFTER GDPR TAKES EFFECT? pic.twitter.com/vlwk8eH5v6
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) May 24, 2018
Meanwhile @Mnrrnt revitalised a particularly popular Prince William meme:
DO YOU STILL WANT TO GET OUR EMAILS AFTER GDPR TAKES EFFECT? pic.twitter.com/zNVFMRRAqM
— Mnrrnt & 200 others (@Mnrrnt) May 23, 2018
And Declain Cashin revived a popular meme featuring the leader of the free world, US President Donald Trump.
DO YOU STILL WANT TO GET MY EMAILS AFTER GDPR TAKES EFFECT pic.twitter.com/BuchzIh1zB
— Declan Cashin-Chalamet-Porowski-B.Jordan (@Tweet_Dec) May 23, 2018
On a slightly more festive note, Malthe Sigurdsson suggested everyone remember to "put out milk, cookies, and a signed consent form for the EU commissioner".
It's GDPR eve! Don't forget to put out milk, cookies, and a signed consent form for the EU Commissioner!
— Malthe Sigurdsson (@malthe) May 24, 2018
And @mocent0 made a rather sombre aside, featuring a photo of Australian renegade Julian Assange, still holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
When you’re the only person in Britain wishing you could receive emails about GDPR pic.twitter.com/ZEAxbpEKlD
— Mo' (@mocent0) May 23, 2018
Under GDPR, businesses must receive explicit consent from their customers to hold onto their data.
Those that do not face fines of up to £17m or four per cent of global turnover by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
GDPR legislation comes into effect on Friday. To find out everything you need to know about the new rules, click here.