Pay or Consent Models in Europe: Already Outdated or an Overlooked Crisis in Freely Given Consent?

Nafiye Yücedağ; Elif Beyza Akkanat Öztürk; Şehriban İpek Aşıkoğlu

doi:10.71265/8jjzhc21

Authors

Nafiye Yücedağ Istanbul University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5526-0323
Elif Beyza Akkanat Öztürk Istanbul University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4856-9733
Şehriban İpek Aşıkoğlu Istanbul University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4505-4048

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71265/8jjzhc21

Keywords:

Pay or Consent, GDPR , tracking techologies, cookies, prohibition of bundling, reasonable fee

Abstract

The transition from free digital services to paid models has sparked significant debate, particularly concerning the Pay or Consent model which allows users to either pay for services or consent to data processing. This study examines the model’s compliance with the requirement of freely given consent under data protection laws, focusing on decisions and guidelines from courts, data protection authorities and the European Data Protection Board (EDPB). It critically evaluates the applicability of a uniform standard across all online service providers, exploring whether a differentiated approach for large platforms versus smaller providers is more appropriate. Additionally, the study discusses the appropriateness of establishing such a standard at this stage, given the novelty and evolving nature of these models and the scarcity of empirical evidence.

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Author Biographies

Nafiye Yücedağ, Istanbul University

Nafiye Yücedağ is an Associate Professor in the Civil Law Department at Istanbul University Faculty of Law.
Elif Beyza Akkanat Öztürk, Istanbul University

Elif Beyza Akkanat Öztürk is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Private Law (Comparative Law Department) at Istanbul University Faculty of Law.
Şehriban İpek Aşıkoğlu, Istanbul University

Şehriban İpek Aşıkoğlu is a doctoral researcher in corporate law at Istanbul University Faculty of Law.

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