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Second author here. Many people carry over 'real world' privacy expectations to online interactions, often unwittingly. While this may be technically naive, I

Second author here. Many people carry over 'real world' privacy expectations to online interactions, often unwittingly. While this may be technically naive, I don't think it is wrong for people to assume established social norms around sex and privacy, which have existed for millennia, are suddenly null and void b/c they go online. Porn stores in real life often have curtains, dark windows, etc. to protect privacy, and some people likely have that mental model ingrained, even if they do have a suspicion they are being tracked.

mirimir 7y ago
I suppose. But I'd think that people would know by now that online tracking is ubiquitous. Arguably there are no "established social norms" online. That's one huge advantage, when it's about accessibility of stuff that's verboten or restricted in your society. Such as, for example, porn. But it cuts both ways, of course. So established social norms about privacy are also widely ignored. The fundamental business model is based on violating users' privacy. Two of the largest online businesses, Google and Facebook, rely on monetizing the violation of users' privacy. So yeah, perhaps it's understandable, but it's gobsmacking naive to think that online porn would be an exception.
- tlibert 7y ago
  I fully agree, but people are often capable of knowing something abstract is true in general (web is full of tracking), but often fail to make the cognitive step to apply those facts to the specific case (there is tracking on porn sites). Nearly 20 years ago I worked as a Dell phone support technician for a few months and it was the best learning experience I've ever had in terms of understanding what the "average" person can actually comprehend. I think many technical people have experience with non-technical people who are otherwise fairly educated and clever (eg parents/grandparents), but there are a lot of people who have difficulty with the concepts, let alone the details. I think those people still deserve privacy.
  - mirimir 7y ago
    I agree that they deserve privacy. I just think it unrealistic to expect that they'll get it. And it's also arguably unrealistic to expect that they'll learn how to take it. So for sure, jawboning is also a viable option.

mirimir 7y ago

I suppose. But I'd think that people would know by now that online tracking is ubiquitous. Arguably there are no "established social norms" online. That's one huge advantage, when it's about accessibility of stuff that's verboten or restricted in your society. Such as, for example, porn. But it cuts both ways, of course. So established social norms about privacy are also widely ignored. The fundamental business model is based on violating users' privacy. Two of the largest online businesses, Google and Facebook, rely on monetizing the violation of users' privacy. So yeah, perhaps it's understandable, but it's gobsmacking naive to think that online porn would be an exception.

tlibert 7y ago
I fully agree, but people are often capable of knowing something abstract is true in general (web is full of tracking), but often fail to make the cognitive step to apply those facts to the specific case (there is tracking on porn sites). Nearly 20 years ago I worked as a Dell phone support technician for a few months and it was the best learning experience I've ever had in terms of understanding what the "average" person can actually comprehend. I think many technical people have experience with non-technical people who are otherwise fairly educated and clever (eg parents/grandparents), but there are a lot of people who have difficulty with the concepts, let alone the details. I think those people still deserve privacy.
- mirimir 7y ago
  I agree that they deserve privacy. I just think it unrealistic to expect that they'll get it. And it's also arguably unrealistic to expect that they'll learn how to take it. So for sure, jawboning is also a viable option.