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{{HTTP}}
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The '''do not track''' header is a proposed [[List of HTTP header fields|HTTP header field]] that would request a [[web application]] to disable their tracking of a user. The "Do Not Track" standard was created by researchers at Stanford University and is under discussion in the [[United States Congress]] and the [[Federal Trade Commission]].<ref name=Daw2011>{{Citation
The '''do not track''' header is a proposed [[List of HTTP header fields|HTTP header field]] that would request a [[web application]] to disable their tracking of a user. The "Do Not Track" header was originally proposed in 2009 by researchers [[Christopher Soghoian]], Sid Stamm and [[Dan Kaminsky]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://paranoia.dubfire.net/2011/01/history-of-do-not-track-header.html|title=The History of the Do Not Track Header|work=Slight Paranoia|last=Soghoian|first=Christopher|accessdate=22 February 2012}}</ref> It is currently being standardized by the [[W3C]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.w3.org/2011/tracking-protection/|title=Tracking Protection Working Group|work=W3C|accessdate=22 February 2012}}</ref>
| title = The State of 'Do Not Track' on the Internet
| url = http://www.pcworld.com/article/223633/the_state_of_do_not_track_on_the_internet.html
| year = 2011
| author = Daw, David
| journal = PCWorld
| accessdate = 2011-04-04
}}</ref> On March 7, 2011, a draft proposal was submitted to IETF.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2011/03/14/web-tracking-protection-minimum-standards-and-opportunities-to-innovate.aspx|title=Web Tracking Protection: Minimum Standards and Opportunities to Innovate|accessdate=18 April 2011}}</ref>

The first major web service to implement the feature is [[The Associated Press]]. According to the company, "it only took a few hours for one engineer to implement."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://donottrack.us/|title=Do Not Track - Universal Web Tracking Opt-Out|last=Mayer|first=Jonathan|coauthors=Arvind Narayanan|accessdate=22 April 2011}}</ref>


In January, 2011, Mozilla announced support for the DNT mechanism in its Firefox web browser.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704213404576100441609997236.html|title=Web Tool On Firefox To Deter Tracking|last=Angwin|first=Julia|work= Wall Street Journal|date=2011-01-21|accessdate=22 February 2012}}</ref> Microsoft's Internet Explorer,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703363904576200981919667762.html|title=Microsoft Adds Do-Not-Track Tool to Browser|last=Angwin|first=Julia|work= Wall Street Journal|date=2011-03-15|accessdate=22 February 2012}}</ref>
The header accepts two values, '''1''' in case the user does not wish to be tracked ''(opt out)'' or '''0''' in case the user does ''(opt in)''. As of June 2011 it is supported by [[Konqueror]] (KHTML), [[Firefox 4]] and higher<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hackademix.net/2010/12/28/x-do-not-track-support-in-noscript/|title=Web Tracking Protection: Minimum Standards and Opportunities to Innovate|X-Do-Not-Track support in NoScript|accessdate=18 April 2011}}</ref><ref name=firefoxDNT>{{cite web|title=Mozilla: Do Not Track|url=http://dnt.mozilla.org/|publisher=Mozilla Firefox}}</ref>, [[Internet Explorer 9]] and [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] (as of Safari 5.1, it's hidden in the Develop menu).<ref>{{Citation
Apple's Safari<ref>{{Citation
| title = Apple Adds Do-Not-Track Tool to New Browser
| title = Apple Adds Do-Not-Track Tool to New Browser
| url = http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703551304576261272308358858.html
| url = http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703551304576261272308358858.html
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| accessdate = 2011-04-14
| accessdate = 2011-04-14
| date=2011-04-14
| date=2011-04-14
}}</ref> and Opera all later added support.<ref>{{Citation
}}</ref>
[[Opera (web browser)|Opera]] introduced support for this feature as of version 12 build 1301.<ref>{{Citation
|author=Opera Desktop Team
|author=Opera Desktop Team
|title=Core update with Do Not Track, and mail and theme fixes
|title=Core update with Do Not Track, and mail and theme fixes
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|date=2011-04-15
|date=2011-04-15
}}</ref>
}}</ref>

The header currently accepts three values, '''1''' in case the user does not wish to be tracked ''(opt out)'', '''0''' in case the user does ''(opt in)'', or null (no header sent) if the user has not expressed a preference. The default is to not send the header, until the user chooses to enable the setting via their browser.


==How it works==
==How it works==
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}}</ref> The execution of this non-tracking directive can only be implemented on the part of the HTTP server, so its enforcement is effectively on the honor system. In this regard, ''do not track'' is similar to the Robots Exclusion standard, which provides a mechanism for HTTP servers to communicate to automatic web-traversing client programs whether those programs are granted permission to access the servers, but entirely relies upon honor and ettiquette on the part of the client for compliance.
}}</ref> The execution of this non-tracking directive can only be implemented on the part of the HTTP server, so its enforcement is effectively on the honor system. In this regard, ''do not track'' is similar to the Robots Exclusion standard, which provides a mechanism for HTTP servers to communicate to automatic web-traversing client programs whether those programs are granted permission to access the servers, but entirely relies upon honor and ettiquette on the part of the client for compliance.


Currently, websites are not required to comply with ''do not track'' requests, neither by law nor by broad social consensus, and therefore very few websites are implementing users' ''do not track'' requests. Congress hopes to pass new federal legislation requiring compliance with the ''do not track'' system.<ref name=Daw2011>{{Citation
Currently, websites are not legally required to comply with ''do not track'' requests, neither by law nor by broad social consensus, and therefore very few websites recognize and respect this privacy signal.
| title = The State of 'Do Not Track' on the Internet
| url = http://www.pcworld.com/article/223633/the_state_of_do_not_track_on_the_internet.html
| year = 2011
| author = Daw, David
| journal = PCWorld
| accessdate = 2011-04-04
}}</ref>


== See also ==
== See also ==

Revision as of 03:54, 22 February 2012

HTTP
Request methods
Header fields
Response status codes
Security access control methods
Security vulnerabilities

The do not track header is a proposed HTTP header field that would request a web application to disable their tracking of a user. The "Do Not Track" header was originally proposed in 2009 by researchers Christopher Soghoian, Sid Stamm and Dan Kaminsky.[1] It is currently being standardized by the W3C.[2]

In January, 2011, Mozilla announced support for the DNT mechanism in its Firefox web browser.[3] Microsoft's Internet Explorer,[4] Apple's Safari[5] and Opera all later added support.[6] It is not supported by Google Chrome.[7]

The header currently accepts three values, 1 in case the user does not wish to be tracked (opt out), 0 in case the user does (opt in), or null (no header sent) if the user has not expressed a preference. The default is to not send the header, until the user chooses to enable the setting via their browser.

How it works

When a web browser requests content or sends data using HTTP it can optionally include extra information in one or more items called "headers". Do not track adds a header (DNT: 1) indicating that the user does not wish to be tracked.[8] The execution of this non-tracking directive can only be implemented on the part of the HTTP server, so its enforcement is effectively on the honor system. In this regard, do not track is similar to the Robots Exclusion standard, which provides a mechanism for HTTP servers to communicate to automatic web-traversing client programs whether those programs are granted permission to access the servers, but entirely relies upon honor and ettiquette on the part of the client for compliance.

Currently, websites are not legally required to comply with do not track requests, neither by law nor by broad social consensus, and therefore very few websites recognize and respect this privacy signal.

See also

References

  1. ^ Soghoian, Christopher. "The History of the Do Not Track Header". Slight Paranoia. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  2. ^ "Tracking Protection Working Group". W3C. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  3. ^ Angwin, Julia (2011-01-21). "Web Tool On Firefox To Deter Tracking". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  4. ^ Angwin, Julia (2011-03-15). "Microsoft Adds Do-Not-Track Tool to Browser". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  5. ^ Nick Wingfield (2011-04-14), "Apple Adds Do-Not-Track Tool to New Browser", Wall Street Journal, retrieved 2011-04-14{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  6. ^ Opera Desktop Team (2012-02-11), Core update with Do Not Track, and mail and theme fixes, Opera.com, retrieved 2012-02-10
  7. ^ Ryan Singel (2011-04-15), "Google Holds Out Against 'Do Not Track' Flag", Epicenter, Wired.com, retrieved 2011-09-01
  8. ^ Do Not Track- Universal Web Tracking Opt-Out, retrieved 2011-04-11
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