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 favor of giant technology companies.
In the latest example, the U.K. 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.