Re: Request-Off-The-Record Mode header

[Watson Ladd <[e-mail]>]

On Thu, Jun 8, 2023, 4:29 PM Martin Thomson <[e-mail]> wrote:
>
> I am a staunch opponent of the use of consent for this sort of thing.  Notice, perhaps, I might be able to get behind.
>
> To manage risk of destroying potential audit trails, it seems like it would be reasonable for browsers to ignore the signal if the site took actions that might result in permanent effects (like downloads of malware, use of powerful features that do require consent, that sort of thing).  The browser might retain *less* information, and create warnings if it does, but accountability is important.

We have consent with good reason for a camera usage but letting that
make a site get recorded would mean a domestic violence hotline
couldn't offer a video chat with a therapist with this feature.

I can't claim to have the answers for that one but that's just one
feature and example, and I don't know we can give terribly good
guidance here. I think browser vendors will have to use their best
judgement on the tradeoffs and UX to explain them, at the cost of the
header meaning slightly different things across browsers.

Sincerely,
Watson Ladd