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Think Tank's Website Rejects Browser Do-Not-Track Requests

Posted by timothy on from the at-least-the're-telling-you dept.

alphadogg writes "The website for the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) now tells visitors it will not honor their browsers' do-not-track requests as a form of protest against the technology pushed by privacy groups and parts of the U.S. government. The tech-focused think tank on Friday implemented a new website feature that detects whether visitors have do-not-track features enabled in their browsers and tells them their request has been denied. 'Do Not Track is a detrimental policy that undermines the economic foundation of the Internet,' Daniel Castro, senior analyst at the ITIF wrote in a blog post. 'Advertising revenue supports most of the free content, services, and apps available on the Internet.'"

7 of 362 comments (clear)

  1. Advertizing and privacy are 2 different things by GPLHost-Thomas · · Score: 5, Informative

    We don't deny the right for any site owner to do advertising. If we don't want to see the adds, we can stop going on the site. But what's not normal is tracking visitors across multiple sites and without their consent or knowledge. I recommend everyone to install the ghostery pluggin, just to see how far this has gone (eg: so many sites are displaying trackers from 3rd parties).

    1. Re:Advertizing and privacy are 2 different things by klearvue · · Score: 3, Informative

      "Evidon (Ghostery's owner) is tracking them through Ghostery" - that only happens if you explicitly enable GhostRank option. Don't spread FUD.

  2. Re:That's fine by couchslug · · Score: 5, Informative

    "I'll just keep using AdBlock Plus, NoScript, etc."

    I'll keep REMINDING OTHERS to use AdBlock Plus, NoScript, etc.

    --
    "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
  3. Re:One question: by MysteriousPreacher · · Score: 3, Informative

    Does anyone really give a shit what this particular group has to say?

    Your elected representatives, who look to outfits like this guidance in turning file sharing in to a crime akin to detonating nail bombs on crowded busses.

    http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Debate-over-Internet-piracy-legislation-heats-up-2576620.php

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    -- Using the preview button since 2005
  4. Reject their rejection by disabling javascript by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Browsing http://www.itif.org/ with noscript installed or javascript disabled, I don't even see their rejection of my DNT header unless and until I enable javascript for the site.

  5. Re:Bad TFA by MysteriousPreacher · · Score: 5, Informative

    While most of us don't have much contact with think tanks and lobbyists, we do certainly see the results of their work. ITIF is very much pushing for stringent IP protections. Think cheerleaders for SOPA/ACTA.

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    -- Using the preview button since 2005
  6. Re:That's fine by mrmeval · · Score: 1, Informative

    Adblock allows 'some ads' by default. I'm not recommending it. There's a fork Adblock Edge that is a fork in protest to the 'some ads' by default.

    https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/adblock-edge/

    --
    I'd go on a Vegan diet but the delivery time from Vega is too long. --brownkitty