War for privacy: A walk down the memory lane
Do Not Track Signal | Global Privacy Control | GDPR
In the journey to know it all, watch out for Mimir's well, If we do not , we might end up loosing more than we bargained for
Welcome, fellow privacy warriors and shruggers, to the tale of War for Privacy: A journey down the memory lane of failures and learnings! Grab your tin foil hats and get ready to laugh, cry, and ignore at the wild ride of digital privacy battles of past! We're not just talking modern tech; oh no, we're going back to the "Age of mythology" to dive into the story of "Odin and the Well of Mimir.".Let’s begin
Odin and the well of Mimir
Once upon a time in the mystical realm of Norse mythology, our buddy Odin was on a quest for wisdom - like a walking, talking encyclopedia with a serious thirst for knowledge. So, when he heard about Mimir's Well, the fountain of all things wise, he just had to have a sip.
Odin strutted up to Mimir, and was like, "Hey, buddy, mind if I take a swig from your wisdom pool?" Mimir, being the chill guardian of the well, was like, "Sure thing, but there's a catch, pal. You gotta fork over one of those peepers(eyes) of yours in exchange."
And you know what Odin did? He said, "Sure, why not? Who needs depth perception anyway when you've got all the knowledge in the world?" Talk about dedication to your thirst for wisdom!
Nuggets of wisdom
Not every juicy nugget of knowledge needs to be blasted across the internet. Sometimes, keeping things under wraps benefits everyone. (Secrecy)
Let's face it, not every tidbit of info is worth knowing. Some things are better left in the shadows, where they belong. (Privacy)
And here's a kicker: Sometimes, you gotta give up something near and dear to nab something even worse. It's all about finding that sweet spot of balance. (Equilibrium)
Alrighty, folks, let's wrap it up and fast forward to the modern era, where secrets are harder to keep than your grandma's secret pancake recipe!
A walk down the internet’s memory lane…
Do Not Track Signal
What is "Do Not Track" (DNT) Signal?
Imagine a little digital flag waving in the vast sea of the internet: that's the "Do Not Track" (DNT) signal. It's a browser setting superhero, letting users tell websites, 'Hey, I'd rather not be followed around like a lost puppy, thanks!' This nifty privacy feature sends a signal from your browser to websites, politely asking them to back off from tracking your online antics for targeted ads or anything else snoopy."
How does it work?
When a user activates the DNT setting in their web browser, the browser appends a distinct HTTP header to every outgoing web request. This header conveys a clear directive to the website, indicating the user's preference regarding tracking. Simple in concept.
Why didn’t it fly ?
Well, if the internet suddenly stopped tracking your every move, businesses might have to dust off their old crystal balls and try their hand at mind reading to keep the digital wheels turning. I mean, I'm sure the internet's crystal ball is on backorder at Amazon - right next to the unicorn saddles and flying pig wings!
The failure of the "Do Not Track" (DNT) initiative can be drilled downed to,
Lack of standardization
Industry resistance
Lack of user awareness
Well, surprise, surprise! Turns out, DNT ended up about as effective as a chocolate teapot in protecting user privacy online. It's like trying to use a paper umbrella in a hurricane - you might as well just embrace the storm!
Nuggets of Wisdon
Finding the sweet spot between making a buck and honoring folks' privacy is key. Educating internet on the importance of both sides is a must : Anonymous
Global privacy control
What is “Global Privacy Control " ?
Global privacy control is kind a like DNT's long-lost twin, but with a cooler haircut and a more relaxed attitude. It is also another http header , sent from the browser to websites telling them “Do not share data with 3rd parties”
Here we see some lessons of DNT failure incorporated
Instead of the stance of “Do Not Track “ the stance is mellowed down to “ Do not share with 3rd parties”
More buy-in and support from some players like New York Times, Wesleyan University, DuckDuckGo, and Brave so on and so forth
But it is still plagued by the fact that
Lack of support from Major internet players
No legal binding
Limited user awareness ( In other words No one cared or cares )
Winning the war for privacy…
If we're gonna conquer this War for Privacy, it's time to whip up some solutions that learn from our past mishaps:
It is important to get everyone on the same page about the whole privacy versus business needs gig. It's like teaching your grandma how to use emojis - a bit tricky, but had to be done.( Education )
we need to slap some legal handcuffs on those internet bigwigs to make sure they're playing nice with our personal information. It's like telling a misbehaving toddler, "No more cookies until you behave! ( Law )
last but not least, It is important to cook up a good set of standards and regulations that'll keep both users and internet giants happy campers ( Standardization )