Inboxes around the world are clogging up as deadline for companies to comply with new regulations nears

Friday is the last day for companies to comply with GDPR regulations
Friday is the last day for companies to comply with GDPR regulations Photograph: Alamy Stock Photo
A last-minute flurry of emails from companies trying to retain customers ahead of the deadline for Europe’s new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has prompted a slew of complaints - and memes - on social media.

Friday is the last day for companies to comply with GDPR regulations and as a result, inboxes around the world are clogging up with emails warnings that “the privacy policy has changed” and pleas to “just click here so we can stay in touch”.

The whole process has inspired the internet to rope in everyone from Julian Assange to Donald Trump to Prince William in an attempt to illustrate their frustration at the electronic onslaught.