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Mozilla Issues Do-Not-Track Guide For Advertisers
angry tapir writes "Mozilla has issued a do not track field guide to encourage advertisers and publishers to implement do-not-track (DNT) functionality. The guide contains tutorials, case studies and sample code to illustrate how companies use the DNT technology. Mozilla aims to inspire developers, publishers and advertisers to adopt DNT and wants to put the control over Internet tracking into the hands of users. The browser maker wants to put a stop to behavioral targeting and pervasive tracking on the Web. The guide can be found here (PDF)."
I would suspect that many advertisers will ignore the document because their cash cow is advertising. They want to be invasive. They want me the average consumer to see what they have to offer. What incentive is there for them to lose potential advertising revenue?
On a personal level I feel advertising agencies have been allow too many liberties and have invaded the lives of consumers way too much. I can't stand them. I'd like to see advertisements go away. But they won't, and even telling them "Don't Want" is not going to work. Look how well that worked for the Do Not Call registry. I still receive calls and every time I say...."I'm on the do not call list...." I don't even get the courtesy from them to remove my number they hang up faster than I can request to be removed from their list. This gives them the lame excuse "the customer did not ask to be removed....". They ignore the Do Not Call list.
Based on the above scenario, what makes me believe that an Ad company would follow the Do Not Track requests?
Life takes interesting turns, but the most interest is when you're off the beaten path.
But how will they screw us in this case ? Absolutely unacceptable. If you do not want to be tracked you should take measures beyond your technical capabilities to do so. Companies has right to make a profit out of you! Now I'll Cite few laws of free market and free speech, so you would understand why you shouldn't get a free ride of them, do you get me now ?
I'm not confused at all about this: This is a joke. It gives a false sense of having accomplished something, which arguable makes everything worse.
In Germany, it's illegal to track personally identifiable info about your visitors you don't ABSOLUTELY need, much less keep it around (it can be argued you need to keep e.g. IP addresses it for a few days in case to be able to block attackers etc., but there isn't a lot of grey area). Sure, that still needs to be enforced, but at least that actually means something. Kinda like making rape illegal, instead of printing "please don't rape me" t-shirts. Geez.
Wow, a voluntary do not track program -- that'll catch on. The only reason the Do Not Call List worked out ok was because there were penalties for not using it and even then there was abuse and numerous work arounds and loopholes.