tracking-ISSUE-130: Site-specific Exceptions b) Global Exception for Third Parties (thisthirdparty, anywhere) [refining ISSUE-111] [Tracking Preference Expression (DNT)]

tracking-ISSUE-130: Site-specific Exceptions b) Global Exception for Third Parties (thisthirdparty, anywhere) [refining ISSUE-111] [Tracking Preference Expression (DNT)]

http://www.w3.org/2011/tracking-protection/track/issues/130

Raised by: Matthias Schunter
On product: Tracking Preference Expression (DNT)

This issue focuses the discussion whether a global exception for a given third party on all sites should be supported.

SCENARIO/use case:
- User visits many sites with DNT;1; by default, third parties fall under the 
    constraints for third parties 
- A user likes third party services of a given provider (say a widget) and 
  permits it to be exempted from these constrains on all other sites


QUESTIONS:
a) Should this functione exist in the Javascript API / Should this be possible?
b) Is this permissible under EU law?


ARGUMENTATION
Pro:
- Usability: Users may trust a provider and be OK to exempt it once and for all
- Lower cost to implement for sites: If they do not care about what 
  third parties work, they do not need to use the site-specific exception API
  -> Third parties can ask for permission themselves.

Contra:
- Privacy concern: Users loose control; in particular if widgets
  can ask for exceptions while being embedded
  [Scenario: I hit a site with 20 widgets and have to provide
     global exceptions for all before being able to continue]

ALTERNATIVE WAYS
- Is it technically possible to only allow first parties to allow for such an exception? Scenario: While at the widget provider's site, the provider may ask me for a global exception. However, 20 widgets on a page (or 1 widget) can not ask me without redirecting me to their site first.

Received on Monday, 26 March 2012 16:06:02 UTC