Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Agreed. If WEI means browsers can more aggressively restrict fingerprinting in all for it.


There is zero connection between WEI existing and browsers being able to restrict fingerprinting.


There are various stakeholder interests which need to be balanced. As much as people like to invent nefarious motives, in reality there likely important players on the internet who have valid use cases for fingerprinting which cannot be broken carelessly. Efforts like WEI try to address their needs via alternative means. I agree that it's bot a guarantee, but it certainly seems like a possibility.


"There are various stakeholder interests which need to be balanced,"

said the giving-alcohol-and-cigarettes-to-children lobby,

"As much as people like to invent nefarious motives, in reality there are important players manufacturing alcohol and cigarettes who have valid use cases for children consuming them which cannot be broken carelessly."


Is there really much browsers can do to actually effectively restrict fingerprinting without going all out like Tor Browser? WEI may disincentivize websites to not use fingerprinting, but if they really wanted to, they could use it for de-anonymization purposes.


I don’t think there is any indication that this would be the automatic outcome.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: