4 ms·

I'd like to remind you and everyone else about Firefox reader mode. Solves like 99% of this user-enslaving shit.

AnthonyMouse 6y ago
And this is really the solution to all of it in the end. A user agent which is actually an agent of the user. Can't wait until first party isolation is the default in browsers.
- anoncake 6y ago
  You can't wait till websites use first-party cookies to track their users?
bad_user 6y ago
Screw that, I just close the page. If a publication disrespects their readers like that, then the content is trash anyway.
- Sodman 6y ago
  Outside of HN, most content creators, especially professionally, don't have the option to make significant changes to the platform on which their content is published. I agree that an entire publication's site can be trash, but good writers can still write on bad platforms.
  - ViViDboarder 6y ago
    They do as much as engineers at Google or Facebook do to change their companies. That is to say, each one cannot make much of an impact, but the responsible thing to do would be to not contribute or at least openly advocate for change from within. If enough people inside shift, then change can happen.
    - Sodman 6y ago
      I just don't see a world where journalists walk out on their jobs over cookie pop-ups. It doesn't feel like the same level as what Google/FB do, not to mention the supply/demand looks completely different in their industry vs tech so the power dynamic is a bit different.
sleavey 6y ago
This doesn't work on Yahoo sites which redirect to a different URL for the consent.
- gear54rus 6y ago
  Then give it.... in an incognito tab haha.
  - wrkronmiller 6y ago
    Incognito basically just means "doesn't show up in my history". There are many, many, ways to track users without needing cookies.
    - gear54rus 6y ago
      > doesn't show up in my history AND drop all cookies from all domains. > There are many, many, ways There probably are. I haven't ever seen it work though. If I get into incognito, my ads show something different my normal profile. In theory, they can track you from your OS/browser combination (and many more variables), but is there a way to test it?
      - kevin_thibedeau 6y ago
        Font enumeration is the big one.
      - shakna 6y ago
        It isn't theoretical. Google is currently facing a lawsuit (Brown et al v Google LLC et al) for tracking people who assumed Chrome's incognito meant Google would stop tracking them. [0] [0] https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2020/06/google-facing-us5-7-billion-lawsuit-for-tracking-people-using-chromes-incognito-mode/ https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2020/06/google-facing-us5-7-billi...
        shadowgovt 6y ago
gibspaulding 6y ago
Reader mode is awesome! I'd love an option to automatically use it for any page that it supports rather than having to select it each time though.

And this is really the solution to all of it in the end. A user agent which is actually an agent of the user. Can't wait until first party isolation is the default in browsers.

anoncake 6y ago
You can't wait till websites use first-party cookies to track their users?

bad_user 6y ago

Screw that, I just close the page. If a publication disrespects their readers like that, then the content is trash anyway.

Sodman 6y ago
Outside of HN, most content creators, especially professionally, don't have the option to make significant changes to the platform on which their content is published. I agree that an entire publication's site can be trash, but good writers can still write on bad platforms.
- ViViDboarder 6y ago
  They do as much as engineers at Google or Facebook do to change their companies. That is to say, each one cannot make much of an impact, but the responsible thing to do would be to not contribute or at least openly advocate for change from within. If enough people inside shift, then change can happen.
  - Sodman 6y ago
    I just don't see a world where journalists walk out on their jobs over cookie pop-ups. It doesn't feel like the same level as what Google/FB do, not to mention the supply/demand looks completely different in their industry vs tech so the power dynamic is a bit different.

sleavey 6y ago

This doesn't work on Yahoo sites which redirect to a different URL for the consent.

gear54rus 6y ago
Then give it.... in an incognito tab haha.
- wrkronmiller 6y ago
  Incognito basically just means "doesn't show up in my history". There are many, many, ways to track users without needing cookies.
  - gear54rus 6y ago
    > doesn't show up in my history AND drop all cookies from all domains. > There are many, many, ways There probably are. I haven't ever seen it work though. If I get into incognito, my ads show something different my normal profile. In theory, they can track you from your OS/browser combination (and many more variables), but is there a way to test it?
    - kevin_thibedeau 6y ago
      Font enumeration is the big one.
    - shakna 6y ago
      It isn't theoretical. Google is currently facing a lawsuit (Brown et al v Google LLC et al) for tracking people who assumed Chrome's incognito meant Google would stop tracking them. [0] [0] https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2020/06/google-facing-us5-7-billion-lawsuit-for-tracking-people-using-chromes-incognito-mode/ https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2020/06/google-facing-us5-7-billi...
      - shadowgovt 6y ago

gibspaulding 6y ago

Reader mode is awesome! I'd love an option to automatically use it for any page that it supports rather than having to select it each time though.