In reply to Terence.

I do feel that way about the cookie laws and some other initiatives but not with GDPR. What do you propose should be done to strengthen data protections and cut back on businesses storing endless personal data at the expense of users, security and democracy?

GDPR does appear to increase the burden on storing data, I hope it's immediate side-effect is that businesses will treat personal data for what it is, not frame it like it as an asset but to treat it like a liability. Every data breach erodes trust and undermines the web, the economy, security, citizens' power and democracy. And organizations liberally sharing data for corporate and/or political goals are directly and indirectly chipping at society worth living in. So let's store less personally identifiable data instead.