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New browser signal could make cookie banners obsolete

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31–40 of 269 posts

Re: New browser signal could make cookie banners obsolete

#32
post #24

The most frustrating thing about these cookie banners (more like cookie lightboxes) is that almost none of them are compliant with the rules. Unfortunately I don't have time to find the source right now, but I'm pretty sure I've read official EU guidance docs clearly stating that many "dark patterns" are simply illegal. For example making the "Accept all cookies" button require less effort than only accepting necessa…

> For example making the "Accept all cookies" button require less effort than only accepting necessary cookies, which almost every page does.

Like those that make you uncheck 10 or 20 entries one by one.

Re: New browser signal could make cookie banners obsolete

#33
post #7

Reminder that we've already had a spec for it. In the 90s! And it even has been implemented in the Internet Explorer: https://www.w3.org/P3P/ It did absolutely nothing for privacy. Google has been sending bogus P3P headers that broke IE's implementation and allowed all cookies. Adtech companies don't want users to have an easy opt-out. They didn't want P3P. They didn't want DNT. They will not want this new spec, unle…

I would argue that times have changed. Sure, there's still misaligned interests between ad providers and users in terms of privacy. But I think the EU regulators found the right level of financial incentives to change some of the worst habits.

Re: New browser signal could make cookie banners obsolete

#34
post #21
post #8

Why do they still think we want tracking cookies ? The ad industry should prepare for a future with no tracking instead of trying to survive with ever shadier tricks, IMO. This won't work: - browsers other than Chrome will say "no tracking" by default, tracking companies won't like that - websites will ignore this, this will be known and people will be upset even more - more javascript when we want less

The proposal includes no JS at all, and will probably reduce the amount of JS because it replaces current cookie consent modals and banners.

It includes JS. See section "8. JavaScript-based interaction". I guess the idea is that just as you can control cookies both via HTTP headers and JS, you will be able to request consent both via HTTP headers and JS.

Re: New browser signal could make cookie banners obsolete

#35
post #7

Reminder that we've already had a spec for it. In the 90s! And it even has been implemented in the Internet Explorer: https://www.w3.org/P3P/ It did absolutely nothing for privacy. Google has been sending bogus P3P headers that broke IE's implementation and allowed all cookies. Adtech companies don't want users to have an easy opt-out. They didn't want P3P. They didn't want DNT. They will not want this new spec, unle…

> They want you to associate them with privacy, and conclude that privacy laws are pointless and should be repealed.

This is a sentiment expressed surprisingly often even here on HN.

Re: New browser signal could make cookie banners obsolete

#36
All this does is move the cookie banner from the website to the browser which still means I have to click approve every time I visit a new website. What I really would like to do is to get rid of these annoying cookie banners entirely and have something auto opt-in for me so I can get back to a decent web browsing experience a la pre-2017…

Re: New browser signal could make cookie banners obsolete

#37
post #24

The most frustrating thing about these cookie banners (more like cookie lightboxes) is that almost none of them are compliant with the rules. Unfortunately I don't have time to find the source right now, but I'm pretty sure I've read official EU guidance docs clearly stating that many "dark patterns" are simply illegal. For example making the "Accept all cookies" button require less effort than only accepting necessa…

It's EU, it varies by country. Each country takes the European GRPR law/guidelines and implements in on the national level. There may be slight differences. Your specific example where opting out must not cost more effort than opting in is specific to the UK GDPR implementation for instance.

Re: New browser signal could make cookie banners obsolete

#38
post #24

The most frustrating thing about these cookie banners (more like cookie lightboxes) is that almost none of them are compliant with the rules. Unfortunately I don't have time to find the source right now, but I'm pretty sure I've read official EU guidance docs clearly stating that many "dark patterns" are simply illegal. For example making the "Accept all cookies" button require less effort than only accepting necessa…

It's EU, it varies by country. Each country takes the European GRPR law/guidelines and implements in on the national level. There may be slight differences. Your specific example where opting out must not cost more effort than opting in is specific to the UK GDPR implementation for instance.

The point is that it's not being enforced, so if we assume what you say is true for the sake of argument, then the only way that would be OK was if a different cookie banner was shown for visitors from the UK, which I highly doubt happens in any meaningful percent of cases.

Re: New browser signal could make cookie banners obsolete

#39
post #24

The most frustrating thing about these cookie banners (more like cookie lightboxes) is that almost none of them are compliant with the rules. Unfortunately I don't have time to find the source right now, but I'm pretty sure I've read official EU guidance docs clearly stating that many "dark patterns" are simply illegal. For example making the "Accept all cookies" button require less effort than only accepting necessa…

> For example making the "Accept all cookies" button require less effort than only accepting necessary cookies, which almost every page does. Like those that make you uncheck 10 or 20 entries one by one.

Or like those that make the "Accept all cookies" button green and the "accept necessary" white/colorless/default.

Re: New browser signal could make cookie banners obsolete

#40
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unless regulators force companies to respect automated protocols.

The GDPR already explicitly forbids 95% of the cookie banners out there, but large companies decided to ignore it and simply face the fines if they in some hypothetical future will arrive. The rest of the industry followed. Until the law that defined informed consent actually get enforced, a new law can not really fix it unless the regulators start to add the threat of jail time to repeat offenders.

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