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This Notice is a Red Flag

NBCUniversal's cookie notice is a masterclass in burying the lede. It’s a dense wall of text that most users will reflexively click through without understanding the implications. This isn't a bug; it's a feature – a deliberate strategy to maximize data collection while minimizing user awareness.

The Illusion of Choice

The notice painstakingly details the different types of cookies used: strictly necessary, performance, functionality, advertising, and social media cookies. Each is described with technical precision, but the sheer volume of information is overwhelming. The average user isn't going to parse the difference between "Content Selection and Delivery Cookies" and "Ad Selection and Delivery Cookies." (And let's be honest, even I had to read those definitions twice.)

The notice offers "choices" about cookie management, but these choices are often illusory. Disabling certain cookies may break site functionality, effectively forcing users to accept them. Opting out of interest-based advertising doesn't eliminate ads; it just makes them less relevant. And even after opting out, NBCUniversal can still track user activity for "research, online services analytics, or internal operations."

The language is carefully crafted to create the impression of control while preserving NBCUniversal's ability to collect and use user data. It's a legalistic dance designed to comply with regulations while maximizing data harvesting.

The Cross-Device Web

The section on cross-device tracking is particularly concerning. NBCUniversal admits to tracking users across multiple devices for advertising and analytics purposes. This means that your activity on your phone, your laptop, and your smart TV can be linked together to create a comprehensive profile. It’s like they’re building a digital doppelganger of you.

The notice states that users can opt out of browser-based cross-device tracking, but it requires separate opt-outs on each device and browser. This is a deliberate hurdle designed to discourage users from exercising their privacy rights. It is almost as if they are hoping you give up.

And even if you manage to opt out of cross-device tracking for advertising, NBCUniversal may still track you across devices for other purposes, such as analytics. What's the real difference in practice? The line is blurry, at best.

I've seen many of these cookie notices, and they all tend to follow the same pattern: a lengthy, technical document that obfuscates rather than clarifies. The goal isn't to inform users; it's to obtain consent, however grudgingly given.

It's a Data Grab in Disguise