Ms Helen Dixon:

Probably the first large-scale investigation we will conclude under the GDPR is one into the principle of transparency and involving one of the large platforms. We will shortly make a decision spelling out in detail how compliance with the transparency obligations under Articles 12 to 14, inclusive, of the GDPR should look in that context, but it is very clear that users are typically unaware. For example, some of the large platforms do have capabilities for users to opt out completely of personalised ad serving, but most users are not aware of this. There are also patterns in operation that nudge users in certain directions. Aside from the hard enforcement cases we will take, we also published guidance recently on, for example, that issue of how users are being nudged to make choices that are perhaps more privacy-invasive than choices they might otherwise make if they were more aware. There is a role for us as a regulatory authority in regulating the platforms as well as driving awareness among users. It is an uphill battle, though, given the scale of what users face.