Cookies and Web browser design: toward realizing informed consent online

  • Authors:
  • Lynette I. Millett;Batya Friedman;Edward Felten

  • Affiliations:
  • Department of Computer Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY;The Information School, University of Washington, Seattle, WA;Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, NJ

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
  • Year:
  • 2001

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Abstract

We first provide criteria for assessing informed consent online. Then we examine how cookie technology and Web browser designs have responded to concerns about informed consent. Specifically, we document relevant design changes in Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer over a 5-year period, starting in 1995. Our retrospective analyses leads us to conclude that while cookie technology has improved over time regarding informed consent, some startling problems remain. We specify six of these problems and offer design remedies. This work fits within the emerging field of Value-Sensitive Design.