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Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by cordite on Monday July 07, 2014 @07:44PM (#8002252)
I wonder how Google will react to this? I already feel betrayed by how apps seem to meaninglessly and without reason request arbitrary information.

Microsoft also seems to be making a trend about "We care about your data privacy."

Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by r00fus on Monday July 07, 2014 @08:06PM (#8002333)
Good point about Microsoft - if they bandwagon and properly implement some of the good-privacy approaches Apple takes, it will put big pressure on Google to do the same.

Ultimately, that will help all users, and in the long run, even app developers as trust increases.

Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by Chronic29 on Monday July 07, 2014 @08:22PM (#8002387)
Although IE sucks, Microsoft is the only one to enable "Send Do Not Track" by default. Chrome and Firefox have this feature disabled.
Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by mikelat on Monday July 07, 2014 @11:38PM (#8002890)
Microsoft also disregarded the standard: http://www.w3.org/TR/tracking-dnt/#h2_determining

Key to that notion of expression is that the signal sent MUST reflect the user's preference, not the choice of some vendor, institution, site, or network-imposed mechanism outside the user's control; this applies equally to both the general preference and exceptions. The basic principle is that a tracking preference expression is only transmitted when it reflects a deliberate choice by the user. In the absence of user choice, there is no tracking preference expressed.

By automatically setting DNT when a user hits express, they have not specifically indicated they do not wish to be tracked, therefore making the setting on IE meaningless, so companies will not honor the header. IE10 does not even expicitly tell you they're turning on the setting, they just do it for you when you hit "Recommended privacy settings" which is highlighted by a large green checkmark icon.

Just look at the disparity: http://www.futureofprivacy.org/2013/12/18/tracking-do-not-tr... Compared to users on browsers that do not push DNT like IE does, only about 7% of users enable the feature, tops. Then 10x as much users have it enabled on IE10, the browser typically used by the not-so tech savvy.

Unfortunately when the browser with one of the highest market shares does this, nobody tends to take do not track very seriously, especially tracking and advertising companies who will lose their competitive edge if they choose to not track half of their userbase. It doesn't matter what Microsoft's intentions were, but the end result is they made a mockery of the standard.

EDIT: fyi, several analytical and tracking software suites such as piwik automatically disregard the DNT setting on only IE10+, while respecting the ones on other browsers. This ironically makes IE the less privacy conscious browser.

Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by anon1385 on Tuesday July 08, 2014 @10:14AM (#8004592)
>several analytical and tracking software suites such as piwik automatically disregard the DNT setting on only IE10+, while respecting the ones on other browsers. This ironically makes IE the less privacy conscious browser.

Similarly, by ignoring DNT Google and Co. just ensure that more people block their trackers and ads entirely.

Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by erichurkman on Monday July 07, 2014 @09:25PM (#8002593)
And the advertising industry used the default DNT status to justify ignoring DNT since it was no longer opted into by users.

Then again, even before that DNT as an idea was dead – very few advertisers even signaled they were interested in user privacy.

Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by throwaway2048 on Tuesday July 08, 2014 @09:33AM (#8004430)
Not making a statement on the validity or realisticalness of the DNT header, but the irony of advertising companies arguing that opt-out models are bad because they "dont reflect consumer choice" is rather amusing.
Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by MBCook on Monday July 07, 2014 @10:06PM (#8002698)
Hasn't Safari had this on by default for 2 years or so?
Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by interpol_p on Monday July 07, 2014 @10:31PM (#8002750)
It has Do Not Track enabled by default. Safari also blocks third party cookies by default on Mac and iOS.
Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by glhaynes on Tuesday July 08, 2014 @01:59AM (#8003188)
Are you sure? My Mac has "Ask websites not to track me" set to off and my iOS devices have "Do Not Track" set to off, too. I don't believe I changed them.
Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by interpol_p on Tuesday July 08, 2014 @02:30AM (#8003267)
I'm probably wrong — I must have enabled mine. I know the third party cookies thing is on by default, so maybe I confused it with Do Not Track.
Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by masklinn on Tuesday July 08, 2014 @03:04AM (#8003330)
IIRC during the normal setup flow of either iOS or OSX (not sure which) I remember being asked if I wanted to enable DNT, but I don't think it was enabled by default.
Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by john2x on Monday July 07, 2014 @09:14PM (#8002563)
Chrome I expected, but why does Firefox have it disabled by default?
Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by burkaman on Monday July 07, 2014 @10:33PM (#8002757)
"As we have been arguing for a long time, the point of the feature is to reflect the individual’s preference, so the user must make a choice before we send any stance on tracking."

https://blog.mozilla.org/privacy/2013/01/28/newdntui/

Re:iOS 8 Privacy Updates by lostlogin on Tuesday July 08, 2014 @05:31AM (#8003656)
I'm cynical, but guess who pays the bills? http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/01/22/so-why-is...