Anick Jesdanun

Europe’s new data and privacy rules take effect May 25, clarifying individual rights to the personal data collected by companies around the world for targeted advertising and other purposes. Not much will change for you, at least right away; companies will keep on collecting and analyzing personal data from your phone, the apps you use and the sites you visit.

[Commentary] Americans are increasingly engaging in a practice known as television binge-watching -- going through several episodes of a TV show in a single stretch. So why am I unhappy about this new way to watch TV?

The biggest challenge with binge-watching is avoiding mentions of plot twists and other spoilers in the news media, on social networks and in casual conversations. Aware of how it feels to hear about spoilers, I'm careful not to "spoil" others. But it's hard to keep track of what I can say to whom.

I lose the sense of time by binge-watching, whether something I watched just four hours ago really took place four weeks or four months ago. I've also let too much of my life slide trying to catch up on shows. There's a temptation to start from the beginning, even as new episodes air, such that it becomes overwhelming to catch up and keep up.