The U.K. said today that it will “shake up” data laws previously in line with European data protection regulations.

Now that the U.K. is on its own following its Brexit break with the European Union, it’s reported that the country wants to see an end to “endless” cookie pop-ups that ask for permission to use a person’s personal data. Oliver Dowden, the U.K.’s digital secretary, called the pop-ups “pointless,” although he said there is some amount of risk on certain websites.

“Now that we have left the E.U., I’m determined to seize the opportunity by developing a world-leading data policy that will deliver a Brexit dividend for individuals and businesses across the U.K.,” Dowden said in a statement concerning the General Data Protection Regulation. “It means reforming our own data laws so that they’re based on common sense, not box-ticking. And it means having the leadership in place at the Information Commissioner’s Office to pursue a new era of data-driven growth and innovation.”

The new information minister, John Edwards, will be in charge of overseeing these changes. Edwards is not a man to mince his words, once calling Facebook “morally bankrupt pathological liars who enable genocide.” He has also criticized the company for “the live-streaming of suicides, rapes and murders.”

It’s perhaps not surprising that the outspoken New Zealand lawyer will take a “no-nonsense” approach to the job at hand. Although GDPR rules were created to protect the consumer, the U.K. now feels that the laws have stifled business.

Countries that transfer data to members of the E.U. have to sign “adequacy agreements”, which means they must show that they offer data protection rights that meet the standards of their own country. Edwards will start by creating a new agreement with New Zealand, the U.S., South Korea Singapore, Dubai, Colombia and Australia, also in line to be approached with a new agreement.

“There is a great opportunity to build on the wonderful work already done and I look forward to the challenge of steering the organization and the British economy into a position of international leadership in the safe and trusted use of data for the benefit of all,” Edwards said.

Photo: Nick Fewings/Unsplash