ISSUE-121: Should DNT header field be sent with an empty field value if user agent supports DNT but the user has not set a preference?

Should DNT header field be sent with an empty field value if user agent supports DNT but the user has not set a preference?

State:
CLOSED
Product:
Tracking Preference Expression (DNT)
Raised by:
Shane Wiley
Opened on:
2012-01-31
Description:
2012-02-20 Matthias said:
- This input has been considered by email
- Conclusion was that the Javascript API can be called to determine whether a user agent supports DNT
- If javascript API supports this, there is no need to send NULL values
- There were no objections / counterproposals on the mailinglist
- I CLOSED the issue pending new information.

2012-01-30 Shane said:

<non-normative>
As many User Agents may fall outside of the large web browser vendors, such as Apps, Toolbars, Custom Web Kits, etc., it will be helpful for publishers to receive a signal that a User Agent supports DNT even when a user has not yet provided a preference.



<normative>
User Agents SHOULD provide a null DNT signal if the user has not yet provided a preference and the User Agent supports DNT.
As many User Agents may fall outside of the large web browser vendors, such as Apps, Toolbars, Custom Web Kits, etc., it will be helpful for publishers to receive a signal that a User Agent supports DNT even when a user has not yet provided a preference.


<normative>
User Agents SHOULD provide a null DNT signal if the user has not yet provided a preference and the User Agent supports DNT.
Related Actions Items:
Related emails:
  1. Re: ISSUE-121 Re: ACTION-84: Wiley to describe the reason for setting DNT=null (from karld@opera.com on 2012-02-10)
  2. RE: ISSUE-121 Re: ACTION-84: Wiley to describe the reason for setting DNT=null (from wileys@yahoo-inc.com on 2012-02-10)
  3. ISSUE-121 Re: ACTION-84: Wiley to describe the reason for setting DNT=null (from karld@opera.com on 2012-02-10)
  4. ISSUE-106: Responses on cached objects (from mts@zurich.ibm.com on 2012-02-07)
  5. RE: tracking-ISSUE-121: Should a user agent advertise its DNT ability by, e.g., sending DNT;NULL [Tracking Preference Expression (DNT)] (from wileys@yahoo-inc.com on 2012-02-01)
  6. Re: tracking-ISSUE-121: Should a user agent advertise its DNT ability by, e.g., sending DNT;NULL [Tracking Preference Expression (DNT)] (from npdoty@w3.org on 2012-02-01)
  7. RE: tracking-ISSUE-121: Should a user agent advertise its DNT ability by, e.g., sending DNT;NULL [Tracking Preference Expression (DNT)] (from wileys@yahoo-inc.com on 2012-02-01)
  8. Re: tracking-ISSUE-121: Should a user agent advertise its DNT ability by, e.g., sending DNT;NULL [Tracking Preference Expression (DNT)] (from john@consumerwatchdog.org on 2012-02-01)
  9. RE: tracking-ISSUE-121: Should a user agent advertise its DNT ability by, e.g., sending DNT;NULL [Tracking Preference Expression (DNT)] (from kevsmith@adobe.com on 2012-02-01)
  10. Re: tracking-ISSUE-121: Should a user agent advertise its DNT ability by, e.g., sending DNT;NULL [Tracking Preference Expression (DNT)] (from npdoty@w3.org on 2012-02-01)
  11. RE: tracking-ISSUE-121: Should a user agent advertise its DNT ability by, e.g., sending DNT;NULL [Tracking Preference Expression (DNT)] (from wileys@yahoo-inc.com on 2012-02-01)
  12. Re: tracking-ISSUE-121: Should a user agent advertise its DNT ability by, e.g., sending DNT;NULL [Tracking Preference Expression (DNT)] (from npdoty@w3.org on 2012-02-01)
  13. Agenda for 2012-02-01 call (V02: added more incoming issues with text) (from mts@zurich.ibm.com on 2012-01-31)
  14. Re: ACTION-84: Wiley to describe the reason for setting DNT=null (from mts@zurich.ibm.com on 2012-01-31)
  15. tracking-ISSUE-121: Should a user agent advertise its DNT ability by, e.g., sending DNT;NULL [Tracking Preference Expression (DNT)] (from sysbot+tracker@w3.org on 2012-01-31)

Related notes:

2012-01-30 Matthias responds: I see that detecting DNT user agents is useful.
(A) Discuss: There might be alternative (and cheaper) ways to discover DNT capability.
- responding with opt-back-in request (ignored if no DNT)
- Javascript API
- User agent string
[more?]
(B) If DNT preference has not been collected, DNT is disabled and thus user agent will behave as if no DNT present?

Matthias Schunter, 31 Jan 2012, 09:39:59

Correct issue title so that it makes sense.

Roy Fielding, 16 Feb 2012, 00:11:21

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