Chrome To Support Do Not Track Privacy Feature

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It looks like Google is finally getting on the Do Not Track bandwagon. The company says it will have the feature in place by the end of the year.

We have always thought the idea of DNT was interesting, but there didn't seem to be a wide consensus on what "tracking" really means. We didn't feel it was responsible to allow users to send a header in Chrome that largely had no effect and no agreed-upon meaning. Going forward, the scope is now clear, and we know that the header will be respected by the industry.
 
"but there didn't seem to be a wide consensus on what "tracking" really means."

Sounds like Clinton: "define the word 'is'"
 
more like..

we are trying to stall this because it will probably affect our ability to track you and sell that info to our advertisers
 
So how do they currently "track" your browser usage? Look at your browser history and cookies? Unless they are actively snooping (malware - toolbars are included in this), there really isn't any other way to "track" browser usage.

If they are using browser history and cookies to track, then it should be pretty trivial for the browser programmers to block "tracking" in the first place.
 
Isn't this the same Google that just got caught bypassing other browser's privacy settings?
 
Googles new mantra:
"When caught doing evil, act sheepishly and eventually fix it...kind of."
 
By the end of the year, they'll know a way to bypass it too. So will everyone else.
 
Isn't this the same Google that just got caught bypassing other browser's privacy settings?

No, this is the same Google that was found to be ignoring a flawed privacy policy standard that everyone else (except for browsers made by their competitors) also ignores.
 
I *think*, correct me if I'm wrong, but the browser has a history as well as your "profile" on Google's site. If you log into your Google Chrome (first of all, I hate that feature because there is nothing "anonymous" once you log into your browser) and then navigate to:
https://www.google.com/history/
you can see the browsing history you've accumulated since logging in. I dunno if that is only for Chrome or if that http.../history site is also applicable to using another browser like IE or FF. I would *expect* that it tracks all if you log into your Google account regardless of browser. Easy to test, I just never have.

And as far as getting a solution out by "end of the year" - c'mon. Right. It doesn't take that long. Has anyone noticed what version of Chrome is currently on? 17.0.963.57 It wasn't that long it was version 10.<whatever>. If it were a priority, it would be done by version 17.0.1000.

Google is too phisy right now.
 
I *think*, correct me if I'm wrong, but the browser has a history as well as your "profile" on Google's site. If you log into your Google Chrome (first of all, I hate that feature because there is nothing "anonymous" once you log into your browser) and then navigate to:
https://www.google.com/history/
you can see the browsing history you've accumulated since logging in. I dunno if that is only for Chrome or if that http.../history site is also applicable to using another browser like IE or FF. I would *expect* that it tracks all if you log into your Google account regardless of browser. Easy to test, I just never have.

And as far as getting a solution out by "end of the year" - c'mon. Right. It doesn't take that long. Has anyone noticed what version of Chrome is currently on? 17.0.963.57 It wasn't that long it was version 10.<whatever>. If it were a priority, it would be done by version 17.0.1000.

Google is too phisy right now.
It says I have to turn on Web History before I can start using that feature or whatever. Does this mean Google does not keep a log of my history, and Incognito mode works just like it should?
 
more like..

we are trying to stall this because it will probably affect our ability to track you and sell that info to our advertisers

Not really. It is default off (so is Firefox's), so the only people that turn it on will be those that explicitly turn it off - and Google already has an off switch for those users. Adding a second off switch won't bother them.

"but there didn't seem to be a wide consensus on what "tracking" really means."

Sounds like Clinton: "define the word 'is'"

Eh, in this case not so much. The idea is still really new, and is only starting to take shape on what it should mean. It's not like this is an established thing that other browsers have supported for a year or two, this is very, very new and the only other browser I know of that supports it is Firefox.

By the end of the year, they'll know a way to bypass it too. So will everyone else.

The way to bypass it is simple - just don't support it. DNT is simple a request to the server asking it to not track you, it isn't enforced by the browser.
 
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