Several US news sites including The LA Times, The New York Daily News and Chicago Times have been taken offline in the UK and Europe in response to a new data law coming into effect.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) seeks to protect the digital rights of EU citizens through stricter data laws and greater oversight of how companies manage people's personal information.

"Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in most European countries," states a message greeting visitors to The LA Times.

"We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to the EU market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism."

Many high-profile news organisations were affected by the issue, including all 46 daily newspapers owned by Lee Enterprises.

Several other major news sites, including The Washington Post and Time required visitors from the EU to agree to new terms and conditions.

GDPR experts have warned that the disruption may only be the beginning for web users, as companies struggle to adapt to the new law.

“This is just the first wave. Any company that has anything to do with EU consumers must get its data and processes in order now," David Smith, head of GDPR technology at data management firm SAS, said in an emailed statement to The Independent.

"The fact that some of the US’s largest news outlets have been forced to pull their services from the EU market shows the first costs of inaction. For too long companies have tried to ignore GDPR; now the rubber is hitting the road, and it’s already seriously costing those who aren’t ready."

The new GDPR law came into force on Friday, 25 May, after two years of preparation.

Failing to adhere to the new regulation could result is fines of up to €20 million or 4 per cent of a company's global revenue.

"Personal data is the gold of the 21st century. And we leave our data basically at every step we take, especially in the digital world," Vĕra Jourová, the European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, said in a statement on Thursday, 25 May.