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Seems like it's set to false by default. So it's not really a "user request" not to track so much as a "browser request" not to. Reminds me of the situation wit

Seems like it's set to false by default. So it's not really a "user request" not to track so much as a "browser request" not to. Reminds me of the situation with the "Do Not Track" header where browsers sending it by default caused the signal to lose all meaning.

JohnFen 5y ago
That wasn't what caused DNT to fail. What caused it to fail was that websites could decide whether or not to honor it, and honoring it would have meant a reduced ability to spy on people, impacting their income.
- Ajedi32 5y ago
  That was part of it. Obviously if sites had no choice in the matter then it wouldn't have mattered whether browsers enabled it by default or not. Since it was a voluntary thing though, browsers sending it by default pretty much destroyed what chance there was of mainstream sites deciding to implement support for it. It's one thing to give up on tracking a small portion of users who explicitly opt-out, and another thing entirely to give up on tracking everyone except for a tiny minority who choose to opt-in.
  - 8note 5y ago
    If browsers weren't sending it be default, it wouldnt have any support because nobody saw enough traffic with it to implement it. The design is the problem since websites who don't feel like it don't have to honor it. Whether it's because it'll bankrupt them by everyone setting it, or not bothering with supporting their unprofitable users.
  - metalliqaz 5y ago
    Its reasonable to assume that users choose a more privacy focused browser intentionally, meaning that "default" setting is intended by the user and not a decision that's made for them without their knowledge.
    - themacguffinman 5y ago
      No, I don't think it's reasonable to assume that when the browser that broke DNT was INTERNET EXPLORER. Internet Explorer is perhaps the most notoriously unchosen browser to ever exist.
superjan 5y ago
Well, in the relation between user and browser vendor it is quite a reasonable default. I can always change my mind if I want to give up my privacy.
edoceo 5y ago
No tracking by default means it's Opt-In - as it should be.
mcherm 5y ago
Arguably, the user requested it by intentionally choosing to use a browser with that default behavior.

JohnFen 5y ago

That wasn't what caused DNT to fail. What caused it to fail was that websites could decide whether or not to honor it, and honoring it would have meant a reduced ability to spy on people, impacting their income.

Ajedi32 5y ago
That was part of it. Obviously if sites had no choice in the matter then it wouldn't have mattered whether browsers enabled it by default or not. Since it was a voluntary thing though, browsers sending it by default pretty much destroyed what chance there was of mainstream sites deciding to implement support for it. It's one thing to give up on tracking a small portion of users who explicitly opt-out, and another thing entirely to give up on tracking everyone except for a tiny minority who choose to opt-in.
- 8note 5y ago
  If browsers weren't sending it be default, it wouldnt have any support because nobody saw enough traffic with it to implement it. The design is the problem since websites who don't feel like it don't have to honor it. Whether it's because it'll bankrupt them by everyone setting it, or not bothering with supporting their unprofitable users.
- metalliqaz 5y ago
  Its reasonable to assume that users choose a more privacy focused browser intentionally, meaning that "default" setting is intended by the user and not a decision that's made for them without their knowledge.
  - themacguffinman 5y ago
    No, I don't think it's reasonable to assume that when the browser that broke DNT was INTERNET EXPLORER. Internet Explorer is perhaps the most notoriously unchosen browser to ever exist.

superjan 5y ago

Well, in the relation between user and browser vendor it is quite a reasonable default. I can always change my mind if I want to give up my privacy.

edoceo 5y ago

No tracking by default means it's Opt-In - as it should be.

mcherm 5y ago

Arguably, the user requested it by intentionally choosing to use a browser with that default behavior.