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by mgbmtl 1786 days ago
Cookies are used because people want to track users across networks. They might be on their mobile phone on home wifi, then on 4G, then at their office, etc.

On IPv6, your OS should also enable the privacy extensions, so that your device has two IPs: a stable one for incoming, and a randomly changing IP for web browsing. Sure, it's the same subnet, but it would be silly to rely on this considering the many other ways we can track users.
1 comments
vince14 1786 days ago
This enables to track users not only across websites but across the entire internet.

It wouldn't surprise me if there are already databases which map IPv6 subnets to real names, addresses, banking data, ...

And anyone could just use that database or contribute to it.

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mgbmtl 1786 days ago
My ISP gives me a /56, and many provide a /48. That's huge. We are 4 people, each with 2-3 devices, and frequent guests on our wifi. Pretty sure such a database would be highly unreliable. And some ISPs rotate the allocated subnet, some make it static. You would probably have the same level of reliability with an IPv4 database currently ("IP visitor from a niche US-based ISP" is probably the same user, and you could dedupe by browser and other data).

And then jurisdictions such as the EU, Canada and California would consider the IP address to be PII, and it would be illegal to contribute to such a database.

Again, there are much more easier ways to track people on the Internet.

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vince14 1786 days ago
With the rotating IPv4 you at least have the possibility to make yourself more anonymous. IPv6 takes that decision away from you.

> You would probably have the same level of reliability with an IPv4 database currently

That is... a lie. The selling point of today's internet is that you are anonymous.

Also I don't know which "easier ways to track people" you mean.

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saltminer 1786 days ago
>IPv6 takes that decision away from you

No, it doesn't. Your ISP is the one who can take that decision away from you. I have Google Fiber, and my public IPv4 address has not changed in around six months, while my IPv6 block has changed twice in that same time. This is despite replacing my router and several multi-hour power outages. I believe the only reliable way to get a new IPv4 address is to call support.

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woxko 1786 days ago
Precisely one of the things I hate about ipv6. I want the anonymity of cgnat, thanks.
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