4 ms·

As far as I remember, one of the main problems with DNT is that most its users actually didn't enable it intentionally (because there are browsers that enable i

As far as I remember, one of the main problems with DNT is that most its users actually didn't enable it intentionally (because there are browsers that enable it by default). Edit: internet explorer used to do that (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Track#Internet_Explorer_10_default_setting_controversy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Track#Internet_Explorer...)

21 8y ago
Yeah, because we all know that your average user default position is "sure, track me however you want". Just like their default is "sure, scam me however you want", because they didn't explicitly check a "Do Not Scam Me" checkbox.
AnaniasAnanas 8y ago
> because there are browsers that enable it by default Can't speak for others but I do not enable it because doing so could lead to me being tracked as the majority has it disabled. This is also the reason that the tor browser also has it disabled. I am not aware of any popular browsers that enable it by default in this day and age.
- dabitude 8y ago
  This is what I had in mind: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Track#Internet_Explorer_10_default_setting_controversy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Track#Internet_Explorer...
  - danShumway 8y ago
    Okay, but: > On April 3, 2015, Microsoft announced that as of Windows 10, it would comply with the specification and no longer enable Do Not Track as part of the operating system's "Express" default settings, but that the company will "provide customers with clear information on how to turn this feature on in the browser settings should they wish to do so". So for the specific browsers that do follow the standard, like Edge, Chrome, and Firefox, why doesn't Google respect the flag for those browsers now? I know that Google has the ability to detect which browser I'm using, because they tell me to install Chrome every time I visit their homepage. I'm seeing IE mentioned all over the place here, but it what it looks like is that one bad actor was just the excuse the advertising industry needed to mass-ignore the setting on every browser, everywhere, regardless of whether or not they violated the standard.
    - it_can_be_done 8y ago
      >why doesn't Google respect the flag for those browsers now? They need your data to personalize ads and make money out of it. It's Google's business model. It doesn't matter which browser you are using.
Analemma_ 8y ago
You remember incorrectly. Right from the beginning, DNT was a useless “evil bit” that everyone was going to either ignore or obey only as long as it was used exclusively by a tiny fraction of sufficiently-technically savvy users. As soon as Microsoft announced it was turning DNT on for everyone, the game was up, and the people pushing it tried to distract attention from the fact that this kind of self-regulation never works by shooting the messenger, even though users’ clear preference is to have blocking protection on by default.
ric2b 8y ago
one of the main problems with {setting} is that most its users actually didn't {enable/disable} it intentionally (because there are {software implementations} that {enable/disable} it by default).

21 8y ago

Yeah, because we all know that your average user default position is "sure, track me however you want". Just like their default is "sure, scam me however you want", because they didn't explicitly check a "Do Not Scam Me" checkbox.

AnaniasAnanas 8y ago

> because there are browsers that enable it by default Can't speak for others but I do not enable it because doing so could lead to me being tracked as the majority has it disabled. This is also the reason that the tor browser also has it disabled. I am not aware of any popular browsers that enable it by default in this day and age.

dabitude 8y ago
This is what I had in mind: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Track#Internet_Explorer_10_default_setting_controversy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Track#Internet_Explorer...
- danShumway 8y ago
  Okay, but: > On April 3, 2015, Microsoft announced that as of Windows 10, it would comply with the specification and no longer enable Do Not Track as part of the operating system's "Express" default settings, but that the company will "provide customers with clear information on how to turn this feature on in the browser settings should they wish to do so". So for the specific browsers that do follow the standard, like Edge, Chrome, and Firefox, why doesn't Google respect the flag for those browsers now? I know that Google has the ability to detect which browser I'm using, because they tell me to install Chrome every time I visit their homepage. I'm seeing IE mentioned all over the place here, but it what it looks like is that one bad actor was just the excuse the advertising industry needed to mass-ignore the setting on every browser, everywhere, regardless of whether or not they violated the standard.
  - it_can_be_done 8y ago
    >why doesn't Google respect the flag for those browsers now? They need your data to personalize ads and make money out of it. It's Google's business model. It doesn't matter which browser you are using.

Analemma_ 8y ago

You remember incorrectly. Right from the beginning, DNT was a useless “evil bit” that everyone was going to either ignore or obey only as long as it was used exclusively by a tiny fraction of sufficiently-technically savvy users. As soon as Microsoft announced it was turning DNT on for everyone, the game was up, and the people pushing it tried to distract attention from the fact that this kind of self-regulation never works by shooting the messenger, even though users’ clear preference is to have blocking protection on by default.

ric2b 8y ago

one of the main problems with {setting} is that most its users actually didn't {enable/disable} it intentionally (because there are {software implementations} that {enable/disable} it by default).