Re: [w3c/manifest] Privacy Review: handle start_url tracking (#399)

@aarongustafson I would oppose closing this issue as it doesn't seem like we've addressed any of the concern raised in 2015. How should clearing local state interact with installed PWAs?

It seems like either:
1. we indicate in the spec that `start_url` should not be used for user-specific data storage, and then browsers and researchers can work on means to detect and block such usage (proxies, URL modification, removing `start_url`, observatories being some brainstormed suggestions raised in this thread); or,
2. we indicate that `start_url` and similar mechanisms can have user-specific data, and that clearing local storage should clear that URL, and provide means for re-triggering installation of apps when data is cleared, or require isolating all data between each installed PWA and the browser; or, 
3. we accept that virtually every user who installs a PWA from a service that also provides online tracking will have a permanent re-spawning cookie from that service whenever they look at their email or social network (unless every such user has more advanced heuristics than browser vendors and visually inspects all start URLs and determines whether they contain tracking identifiers and manually changes them!), and that that cookie will re-appear even after the user tries to clear all local state on their browser or device. This looks like the status quo, and I don't think it's compatible with users having either transparency or control.

Not all mitigations need to be absolute solutions. Throwing up our hands and accepting permanent, unclearable identifiers is not a sound response to some mitigations being imperfect.

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Received on Monday, 23 September 2019 20:39:51 UTC