Yahoo Dings “Do Not Track” Default (And Search Partner Microsoft)

[ronjor]

Kara Swisher

In a post today on its policy blog, Yahoo took aim at Microsoft’s controversial “Do Not Track” default in its Internet Explorer 10 browser.

Said Yahoo in a post titled “In Support of Personal Experience”:

“Recently, Microsoft unilaterally decided to turn on DNT in Internet Explorer 10 by default, rather than at users’ direction. In our view, this degrades the experience for the majority of users and makes it hard to deliver on our value proposition to them. It basically means that the DNT signal from IE10 doesn’t express user intent.”

Thus, Yahoo “will not recognize IE10’s default DNT signal on Yahoo! properties at this time.”

http://allthingsd.com/20121026/yahoo...ner-microsoft/

[funkydude]

Not that it really matters that much in the long run because DNT will never hit off unless forced by law, but I'm glad I'm not using any Yahoo services.

[ronjor]

forced by law

It will probably come down to that eventually.

[siljaline]

I've been watching this with earnest since MS stated it would have DNT turned on in IE10 when it goes RTM. A good read would be:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_not_...ng_controversy Also existing thread: http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=325294

[Pinga]

Originally Posted by ronjor

It will probably come down to that eventually.

Don't underestimate the power of the anti-DNT lobby

If the FTC supports industry self-regulatory efforts actively and publicly, we remain confident that the industry’s initial progress will accelerate. If, however, the FTC supports Do Not Track, or other, browser-based and more proscriptive measures, in a manner that does not recognize the substantial efforts now underway, it can only hinder the continued progress of the industry’s self-regulatory efforts.

http://www.ftc.gov/os/comments/priva...0391-58045.pdf

[noone_particular]

If the FTC supports industry self-regulatory efforts actively and publicly, we remain confident that the industry’s initial progress will accelerate. If, however, the FTC supports Do Not Track, or other, browser-based and more proscriptive measures, in a manner that does not recognize the substantial efforts now underway, it can only hinder the continued progress of the industry’s self-regulatory efforts.

Translated:
Unless you (the FTC) publicly support us and allow us to do as we please, we'll completely disregard Do Not Track and do as we please anyway, and then we'll use our influence higher up to gut what little authority you do have.

[Mman79]

Originally Posted by noone_particular

Translated:
Unless you (the FTC) publicly support us and allow us to do as we please, we'll completely disregard Do Not Track and do as we please anyway, and then we'll use our influence higher up to gut what little authority you do have.

This. DNT was doomed from the start for this very reason.