From airlines to pizza parlors, EU businesses adopt data law

Businesses from pizza parlors to airlines across the EU's 28 countries are rushing to comply with the bloc's new rules on data privacy, which takes effect May 25.

While much of the attention has focused on how technology giants like Facebook and Google will comply with the rules, businesses are learning firsthand that they apply to any firm, large or small, that stores personal data.

Many consumers are getting bombarded with emails from companies seeking consent to use personal data.

The new rules are designed to make it easier for EU residents to give and withdraw permission for companies to use personal information, requiring consent forms that are written in simple language and no more than one-page long. Companies with such data have to ask for permission to retain it.