[gradys]

> They are storing data about you for the people who, like it or not, you shared your data with.

Exactly.

I'll add that on a technical level, you aren't being tracked like a hunter would track prey; your machine is being periodically asked to provide identifying information, and you have it configured to automatically comply.

I get that most consumers of the web don't understand this, but it is the truth.

This is what I find vexing about the EU cookie disclaimer law. Every individual website owner has to add a message to their site letting you know that they are going to request that your browser store some information on their behalf.

It makes me think about all of the manhours that could have been saved if the law had instead required major browser vendors to include a feature enabled by default that would prompt the user before storing cookies.

[unabridged]

>It makes me think about all of the manhours that could have been saved if the law had instead required major browser vendors to include a feature enabled by default that would prompt the user before storing cookies.

You only need a disclaimer for a permanent cookie, which should only be used when you are logged into an account (and the disclaimer could just be part of the ToS when you create the account). I blame the websites for using permanent cookies when session cookies or no cookies would do the job.

[cpeterso]

> your machine is being periodically asked to provide identifying information, and you have it configured to automatically comply.

That is true for cookies, but trackers also use active and passive fingerprinting that does not provide a way to configure whether your machine automatically "provides identifying information".