Re: Intermediaries interfering with DNT decision making

James,

Not long ago, some were suggesting that a UA claiming compliance would 
be responsible for ensuring the purity of its signals are not improperly 
muddied by downstream intermediaries.

I don't think compliance obligations should extend this far but, if they 
do, it should apply server-side as well. So, for example, if Apache 
decides to do something that conflicts with the TPE (purge incoming 
signals by default) than is it incumbent on compliant servers to avoid 
Apache?

On 9/10/2012 9:25 PM, James Grimmelmann wrote:
> This is not an issue on which the Working Group should have a 
> position.  Apache in the abstract is neither compliant nor 
> noncompliant with the standard.  What matters is only what servers 
> receiving and responding to DNT requests actually _do_.
>
> Server software is not an "intermediary."  It is under the control of 
> the server operator, who takes responsibility for its actions.
>
> That said, this change is harmful to the adoption process for Do Not 
> Track, because it:
> (1) Treats the text of the TPE spec as unambiguous on an issue where 
> it is highly ambiguous;
> (2) Creates an obstacle to DNT adoption on the part of servers; and
> (3) May cause serious regulatory trouble for server operators who do 
> not realize their installation of Apache deliberately ignores IE 10.
>
> James
>
> On Sep 10, 2012, at 2:02 PM, Tamir Israel <tisrael@cippic.ca 
> <mailto:tisrael@cippic.ca>> wrote:
>
>> I'm wondering to what extent we think it is ok for what is 
>> essentially an intermediary (in this case, server software) to impose 
>> default  responses to DNT signals onto servers?
>>
>> http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57508351-93/apache-web-software-overrides-ie10-do-not-track-setting/
>>
>> Best,
>> Tamir
>>
>> -- 
>>
>> Tamir Israel
>> Staff Lawyer
>>
>> Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic
>> University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, CML Section
>> 57 Louis Pasteur Street
>> Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5
>> Tel: (613) 562-5800 ext. 2914
>> Fax: (613) 562-5417
>>
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>>
>>
>>
>>
>