London: The devil’s bargain underlying the internet economy is that people get free usage of websites such as Google and Facebook in exchange for letting companies collect all sorts of personal data that can be used to sell advertising and other services.

But in recent years European governments have pushed back, arguing the balance of the trade has gotten overly skewed in favour of giant technology companies.

In the latest example, the UK is proposing a new privacy law that aims to make it easier for citizens to erase personal data and old pictures from Facebook Inc., Google and other internet sites. The ruling Conservative Party, in its campaign platform this year, pledged to give people more control of their online personal information.

The proposed law, which needs approval from Parliament, would give people stronger rights to seek the removal of online browsing data, according to a document released Monday by the UK Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Parents also would be given more authority to control what data is collected about their children. Companies would be required to end the practice of collecting people’s online data by default unless a user opts out.

The UK has been a less antagonistic regulator of internet companies than governments such as Spain and France. A landmark European Union court decision in 2014 determined people have a so-called right to be forgotten when internet companies post results that are outdated or irrelevant. A separate data protection law to be implemented next year within the EU adds additional privacy standards.

‘More Control’

With the UK scheduled to leave the EU in early 2019, the new proposal will bring its data-privacy regulations more in line with other countries in the region.

“It will give people more control over their data, require more consent for its use, and prepare Britain for Brexit,” Matt Hancock, minister of state for digital, said in a statement. The Culture Department didn’t specify a timeline for its passage through Parliament.

Internet companies and free-speech advocates have battled right-to-be-forgotten proposals around the world, saying the regulations create a form of online censorship while also being logistically difficult to implement. Google is presently fighting French regulators who want the European policy extended globally, meaning a person in Europe could have data erased from all search results everywhere, not just the local French site. Google has argued such a step would set a dangerous precedent other countries will follow.

‘Right Balance’

According to company data, Google receives a few hundred requests per day to remove URLs. It accepts about 43 per cent of those requests.

The government initiative won a key endorsement from the biggest British trade association.

“This legislation strikes the right balance in improving standards of protection while still enabling businesses to explore new products and services,” Tom Thackray, innovation director at the Confederation of British Industry, said in an emailed statement. Firms know that the “ability to innovate is dependent on customers having confidence that their information is well protected.”

UK economy takes a hit as consumer spending slumps further

London

UK consumers cut back on spending for a third month in July as house-price growth slowed sharply, dealing yet another blow to the economy.

The broad-based weakness is being blamed on a squeeze on pockets as inflation outpaces wage growth as well as concerns about the health of the economy. The latest figures leave both household expenditure and the property market at their weakest in more than four years.

A report from IHS Markit and Visa showed that consumer spending dropped 0.8 per cent year-on-year, with clothing, household goods, food and transport among the worst hit. Home-price increases weakened to an annual 2.1 per cent in the past three months, its slowest since April 2013.

The two downbeat reports come days after the Bank of England downgraded its economic outlook and Governor Mark Carney warned that Brexit uncertainty is weighing on business and households. BOE Deputy Governor Ben Broadbent said Friday that the “maximum rate of pain” for consumers will soon pass, though any improvement could be modest. The central bank also cut its forecast for wage growth last week.

-Bloomberg