A number of annoying popup messages online have left me thinking about consent and what it means.

The other day, when I was on one website, I was asked if I wanted to subscribe to notifications and updates. I couldn害羞草研究所檛 say no. Another website offered me a 20 per cent discount on a paid subscription. Again, I couldn害羞草研究所檛 say no. And on an app I use, I was asked to sign up for a rewards program. Once again, I couldn害羞草研究所檛 say no.

The reason I couldn害羞草研究所檛 say no was that there was no way for me to do this. The choices included 害羞草研究所淣ot Now害羞草研究所� or 害羞草研究所淢aybe Later.害羞草研究所� A simple 害羞草研究所淣o害羞草研究所� wasn害羞草研究所檛 included.

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If I click one of those choices, I can continue on to the site or app. But then, in a couple of days or possibly the next time I open the app or visit the site, the same message will pop up again. Once again, I害羞草研究所檓 left with the same two options if I don害羞草研究所檛 want to subscribe or sign up for notifications.

Until recently, I hadn害羞草研究所檛 given much thought to the wording of these popups. I could click one of the options and continue on my way. It was nothing more than a minor annoyance. This time, however, something about the message caught my attention.

害羞草研究所淣ot Now害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淢aybe Later害羞草研究所� don害羞草研究所檛 express what I want. Put simply, I need to be able to state if I害羞草研究所檓 not interested in getting my name on a mailing list, upgrading from the light version to the full version of a subscription or unlocking the full features of an app.

The wording allowed me to give consent if I wanted the additional features, but not to refuse consent. The best I could do was to delay.

This sends an uncomfortable message. The right to agree to an offer should also include the right to refuse the offer.

The word 害羞草研究所淣o害羞草研究所� is one of the most important words in the English language. 害羞草研究所淣o害羞草研究所� is a way one refuses something unwanted, unneeded or uncomfortable. There is something permanent about this simple word.

Selecting 害羞草研究所淣ot Now害羞草研究所� or 害羞草研究所淢aybe Later害羞草研究所� meant I was open to seeing the offer again害羞草研究所� and again害羞草研究所� and again.

If I didn害羞草研究所檛 want to see the repetitive messages, the only choices open to me are to subscribe or to abandon the site or service entirely.

There害羞草研究所檚 nothing new about disregarding the word 害羞草研究所淣o.害羞草研究所�

Not too long ago, it was said that in one country, when a woman said 害羞草研究所淣o害羞草研究所� to a man害羞草研究所檚 advances, she meant 害羞草研究所淢aybe,害羞草研究所� and when she said 害羞草研究所淢aybe,害羞草研究所� she meant 害羞草研究所淵es,害羞草研究所� which is ridiculous. With this premise, how was it possible for a woman to make it clear that she was refusing unwanted advances?

This stereotype should have been considered in bad taste from the beginning.

Since at least the 1980s, there have been 害羞草研究所淣o Means No害羞草研究所� campaigns, emphasizing the importance of consent.

One of these campaigns asked the question, 害羞草研究所淲hat part of No don害羞草研究所檛 you understand?害羞草研究所�

I haven害羞草研究所檛 heard the 害羞草研究所淣o, Maybe and Yes害羞草研究所� line in a long time, and I hope this means things are changing for the better.

Still, the wording of popup ads has left me wondering if messages about consent have had any real impact.

If a company is asking me to accept an offer, then I need the choice to say 害羞草研究所淣o害羞草研究所� to the offer as well. 害羞草研究所淢aybe Later害羞草研究所� isn害羞草研究所檛 good enough.

John Arendt is the editor of the Summerland Review.

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news@summerlandreview.com.

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