Inbox flooded with 'privacy policy' emails? Thank a new European law called the GDPR

If you have noticed a flood of privacy policy emails from companies recently, you're not alone. New data privacy regulations in Europe are to blame, but you should not treat the emails as spam.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a law passed in the EU sets tougher rules about what companies can do with your data and gives individuals more control over their personal data.

While the law technically only applies to European citizens, many companies are changing their policies across the board, meaning American users can benefit too.

The GDPR, which went into effect on Friday, May 25, requires companies to get consent from users to collect their data. It also stipulates that companies must explain in plain language what they will do with the data. Consumers have the option to ask the company to delete the data.

Consumers are encouraged to read through the new policies carefully to see how each company is handling the new law.