Minor Updates to the Do Not Track Header

Original at the Stanford Center for Internet and Society.

We’re pleased to announce we’re beginning work on an IETF Internet-Draft for the Do Not Track header. We look forward to incorporating broad feedback.

In anticipation of the first version of the Internet-Draft, we’re making a few minor updates to the header. The reference implementations at DoNotTrack.Us will be revised shortly.

Dropping “X-“

Since Do Not Track is entering a standardization process, convention dictates dropping the prefix “X-“.

Abbreviating “DNT”

In keeping with header naming best practices, and to conserve network resources, we’re shortening the name.

Adding a “0” Value

There’s an important policy distinction between users who consent to third-party tracking and users who haven’t expressed a preference. To clarify this difference, the header now has three states:

“DNT: 1” – The user opts out of third-party tracking.

“DNT: 0” – The user consents to third-party tracking.

[No Header] – The user has not expressed a preference about third-party tracking.