Re: June Draft of the DNT compliance spec

With respect to:

"A user is an individual human. When user agent software accesses online resources, whether or not the user understands or has specific knowledge of a particular request, that request is "made by the user."

I believe there is a fundamental disconnect in the definition of "made by the user".  If the user is an individual HUMAN, yet has no specific knowledge of a particular request, then that request can't possibly be made by the user/a human.  If the user/human has no specific knowledge of a particular request, that request does NOT represent a user/human interaction-- it would rather represent a device/technilogical interaction.

Chris


On Jun 10, 2013, at 6:48 AM, "Peter Swire" <peter@peterswire.net<mailto:peter@peterswire.net>> wrote:

To the Working Group:

            Attached please find a June Draft of the compliance spec.  The spec is also available at:

http://www.w3.org/2011/tracking-protection/drafts/tracking-compliance-june.html

This draft builds directly on the Consensus Action Summary from the Sunnyvale F2F.  Working closely with W3C staff, and based on numerous discussions with members of the WG, this June Draft is my best current estimate of a document that can be the basis for a consensus document in time for Last Call.

            The June Draft includes a number of grammatical and stylistic edits to various provisions of the previous working drafts.  These sorts of edits were done in hopes of adding clarity and good writing to the provisions.  In the spirit of humility, W3C staff and I recognize that members of the WG may spot substantive objections to these stylistic edits – let us work within a constructive spirit of the working group process to examine and, where appropriate, make changes to these edits.

            The Draft also addresses the four task areas included in the Consensus Action Summary.  In proposing language in the June Draft, my intent and belief was to make good substantive judgments about an overall package that may achieve consensus, as well as item-by-item judgments about what is substantively most defensible within the context of the WG.  Clearly, the group will need to work through each piece of the text, members can suggest alternatives, and we will need to determine where and whether consensus exists.

            The June Draft contains normative text but not non-normative text.  In part, this reflects my view that we have the best chance to work constructively on a relatively short amount of normative text.  Proposed non-normative text can be proposed for provisions in time for Last Call.  As a potentially useful alternative, W3C has various mechanisms for publishing notes or other documents that illuminate a standard.  The best time for detailed discussion of most non-normative text quite possibly will be after Last Call.

            The June Draft discusses only items that the W3C WG can address.  Clearly, the actions of others on these issues may be relevant to the overall outcome.  For instance, the DAA has discussed changes to its code, including on its market research and product development exceptions.   There has been discussion of a potentially useful limit on any blocking of 3d party cookies for sites that comply withDNT.  There may also be new and useful technical measures that would be important to the future of advertising in a privacy-protective manner.  The text here, as indicated, addresses what would be within the compliance spec itself.

            W3C staff and I are working on further explanatory materials that will seek to clarify the changes here, and link the June Draft to the issues on the WG site.

            The regular call this Wednesday will be an opportunity for the Group to have an initialdiscussion of the June Draft.  To give everyone a chance to review this material, we will not be seeking to close compliance issues during this Wednesday’s calls.

            Thank you,

            Peter



Prof. Peter P. Swire
C. William O'Neill Professor of Law
Ohio State University
240.994.4142
www.peterswire.net<http://www.peterswire.net>

Beginning August 2013:
Nancy J. and Lawrence P. Huang Professor
Law and Ethics Program
Scheller College of Business
Georgia Institute of Technology

<June Draft.Compliance.pdf>