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 couldnsa国际传媒檛 say no. Another website offered me a 20 per cent discount on a paid subscription. Again, I couldnsa国际传媒檛 say no. And on an app I use, I was asked to sign up for a rewards program. Once again, I couldnsa国际传媒檛 say no.

The reason I couldnsa国际传媒檛 say no was that there was no way for me to do this. The choices included sa国际传媒淣ot Nowsa国际传媒� or sa国际传媒淢aybe Later.sa国际传媒� A simple sa国际传媒淣osa国际传媒� wasnsa国际传媒檛 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, Isa国际传媒檓 left with the same two options if I donsa国际传媒檛 want to subscribe or sign up for notifications.

Until recently, I hadnsa国际传媒檛 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.

sa国际传媒淣ot Nowsa国际传媒� and sa国际传媒淢aybe Latersa国际传媒� donsa国际传媒檛 express what I want. Put simply, I need to be able to state if Isa国际传媒檓 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 sa国际传媒淣osa国际传媒� is one of the most important words in the English language. sa国际传媒淣osa国际传媒� is a way one refuses something unwanted, unneeded or uncomfortable. There is something permanent about this simple word.

Selecting sa国际传媒淣ot Nowsa国际传媒� or sa国际传媒淢aybe Latersa国际传媒� meant I was open to seeing the offer againsa国际传媒� and againsa国际传媒� and again.

If I didnsa国际传媒檛 want to see the repetitive messages, the only choices open to me are to subscribe or to abandon the site or service entirely.

Theresa国际传媒檚 nothing new about disregarding the word sa国际传媒淣o.sa国际传媒�

Not too long ago, it was said that in one country, when a woman said sa国际传媒淣osa国际传媒� to a mansa国际传媒檚 advances, she meant sa国际传媒淢aybe,sa国际传媒� and when she said sa国际传媒淢aybe,sa国际传媒� she meant sa国际传媒淵es,sa国际传媒� 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 sa国际传媒淣o Means Nosa国际传媒� campaigns, emphasizing the importance of consent.

One of these campaigns asked the question, sa国际传媒淲hat part of No donsa国际传媒檛 you understand?sa国际传媒�

I havensa国际传媒檛 heard the sa国际传媒淣o, Maybe and Yessa国际传媒� 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 sa国际传媒淣osa国际传媒� to the offer as well. sa国际传媒淢aybe Latersa国际传媒� isnsa国际传媒檛 good enough.

John Arendt is the editor of the Summerland Review.

To report a typo, email:
news@summerlandreview.com.

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