Comment by charles_f
15 hours ago
It's interesting that we're so used to be tracked at this point that no one balks at being opted-in by default. A flag called DO_NOT_TRACK sounds like a good idea, but also suggests the default is CONSENT_TO_TRACK=1, and I find that creepy.
> A flag called DO_NOT_TRACK sounds like a good idea, but also suggests the default is CONSENT_TO_TRACK=1, and I find that creepy.
It could also be used to prevent showing an opt-in notification at all even in software that requires opt-in.
Nitpicking: There is no being opted-in by default, that‘s opt-out
I actually consider such a flag to be problematic. I don't want to give out any information - of course I never want to be tracked, but marking this via an ENV variable alone, already makes zero sense to me. I don't understand people who like that while claiming they do not want to be tracked; if they give that information, then this means they are marked.
Do not track WHEN?
This flag is sent by my browser when I connect to SOMEONE ELSE’s SERVER.
The internet only took off because the primary business model which ran on ads and derivative information that servers do to their users.
It’s not fun. It’s not private or secure. It’s not illegal (in most jurisdictions for most industries). The flag exists as a response to the de facto and de jure state of the world, not some fairytale scenario.
> The internet only took off because the primary business model which ran on ads
No? It took off before advertising was widespread as a primary or sole funding business model? Also there's literally nothing about advertising that requires data collection about users. Sure they love to do it, and they might even believe that it helps their profits in some way. But it's not inherent, they got along just fine with billboards and newspaper classifieds. TV ads never required personal information. Not did pre roll cinema ads, or radio adverts. Nobody was bemoaning in the streets that they couldn't possibly find anything to buy
> The internet only took off because the primary business model which ran on ads and derivative information that servers do to their users.
quite the opposite I would argue:
https://nickyreinert.de/2020/2020-10-24-marketing-killed-the...
> This flag is sent by my browser when I connect to SOMEONE ELSE’s SERVER.
No, it's set in your command shell (e.g. bash) and tells CLI programs that support it to not connect to a server. It has nothing to do with browsers or ads. This is all very clear in the article.
You can serve ads without tracking
You can have ads without tracking.
The article is about local desktop / CLI tools that collect telemetry, not the web browser "do not track" standard.
Article quite literally talks about tracking of cli tools you run on your own computer, half of which are to pilot products that you pay with your own money.
Get off your high horse.
I would advocate for not getting your horse high to begin with, or hide your stash better.
1 reply →
You’re confusing the Internet with Google.
> The internet only took off because the primary business model which ran on ads and derivative information that servers do to their users.
Arguable, on the other hand it did kill the internet. (or, almost so far, we'll see whether we rebound after decades of enshittification)
> This flag is sent by my browser when I connect to SOMEONE ELSE’s SERVER.
...and promptly, thoroughly ignored.