NONE: Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Cookies
Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Cookies
Rick Bruner (rick_at_bruner.net)
Wed, 16 Jul 1997 02:07:54 -0700 (PDT)
Mark Dolley wrote:
>Might I suggest you closely reread what I wrote? I said the new browsers
>would allow users to refuse cookies as a default. Where is this
>absolutely wrong?
Apologies. I understood you to mean the browser's pre-configured defaults
would refuse cookies, which was what the IETF had been recommending.
>I note with interest that you offer no evidence to support your
>suggestion that few users are likely to bother going through the security
>options of their browser, in order to refuse all cookies.
Unfortunately, I don't have at hand any firm stats I can cite (it's late or
I'd call around), though I do recall someone at DoubleClick once telling me
that less than 10% of surfers hitting sites in their network have cookies
turned off. You could argue that's in part b/c the option to disable them
in the 3.0 browsers produces annoying dialogue boxes with every cookie
served. But then, how soon before the majority of surfers switch to 4.0?
(I've just spent about an hour searching the Net in vain to find stats to
back up my understanding that still around 50% of surfers are using 2.0
browsers, where users have no control over cookies.)
I certainly would agree that most Net users are instinctively anti-cookies.
Again, I can't cite the stats now, but I recall seeing recently that more
than 80% of Net users said they were against cookies when cookies were
explained to them (but how were they explained, one wonders).
The main reason that users are so against cookies, however, is that privacy
advocates have taken charge of shaping public perception of what cookies
are, including all the disinformation about them snatching your email
address, etc. (which even the FTC's online white paper about privacy
perpetuates -- http://www.ftc.gov/WWW/bcp/conline/pubs/privacy/privacy1.htm
).
At the recent IAB conference in San Francisco, there was lots of talk about
the need to educate users about the benefits of cookies, but I haven't
heard of any real initiatives. The best idea along these lines I've seen
comes from Adrian Scott, sole proprietor of Aereal consulting, whose site (
http://www.aereal.com/ ) features a logo "Enhanced With Cookies" that links
to a page on his site explaining the virtues of cookies. His explanation of
cookies could be improved I believe (no offense, Adrian). I, for one, think
this would be an excellent project for the IAB to coopt -- a major PR &
online re-education about the virtues of cookies (e.g., promote similar
pro-cookies logos on commercial sites with the same vigor the EFF did the
blue-ribbon free speech logos).
True, it's risky for any online biz to rest too confidently on the
long-term future of cookies. Perhaps you're right, Mark, that the 4.0
option to turn them off may set off a grassroots rejection of cookies that
will decide the matter for us (frankly, I still doubt it; most surfers I
know don't even realize you don't have to launch your browser to Netscape's
homepage if you don't want to). Nonetheless, rather than just grousing
about their possible demise, I'd like to see the online ad community move
in a positive direction to protect cookies. The stateless character of HTTP
sessions means that cookies are presently by far the best way (I know of)
to keep track of any user interactions from one click to the next.
If they go away, it's going to hurt a lot more online businesses than just
DoubleClick. I say they're worth preserving, but to do so the online ad
community needs to be at least as vocal about cookies' consumer advantages
as the privacy community has been about their nefarious intents.
RE: my "condescendingly anal" comment about "mediums" and subsequent typo
of "Webster's", touche. I ran a spell check this time. :)
Rick
-----------------------------------------------------------
Rick E. Bruner rick_at_bruner.net
Bruner Communications 1+(415) 351-2489
High-Tech Writing Services Web page RSN :^)
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