The EU knew about DNT signals before GDPR was finalized and decided to ignore them. I know, I was a web dev at that time (and still am, yes I’m ancient in internet years). This is on the EU and techbros, but having internet explorer and other browsers like firefox (not sure if chrome did it?) enabling DNT by default would make tech bros upset, and the EU couldn’t have that, so they made the tech bros a little happier by allowing the consent banners instead.
From the working party back then, which was promptly rejected in the final GDPR we have today:
2016
The Working Party recommends
rephrasing the requirements in the current Recital 66 of Directive 2009/136/EC. Instead
of relying on website operators to obtain consent on behalf of third parties (such as
advertising and social networks), manufacturers of browsers and other software or
operating systems should be encouraged to develop, implement and ensure effective
user empowerment, by offering control tools within the browser (or other software or
operating system) such as Do Not Track (DNT), or other technical means that allow users to
easily express and withdraw their specific consent, in accordance with Article 7 of the GDPR.
Such tools can be offered to the user at the initial set-up with privacy-friendly default settings.
Adherence to accepted technical and policy compliance standards must become a common
practice. In addition, website operators should respect and adhere to browser control tools or
other user preference settings.
2017
The Working Party recommends that terminal equipment and software must
by default offer privacy protective settings, and offer clear options to users to confirm or
change these default settings during installation. The settings must be easily accessible during
use. Users must be enabled to signal specific consent through their browser settings. Privacy
preferences should not be limited to interference by third parties or be limited to cookies. The
Working Party strongly recommends to make adherence to the Do Not Track standard
mandatory.
The EU knew about DNT signals before GDPR was finalized and decided to ignore them. I know, I was a web dev at that time (and still am, yes I’m ancient in internet years). This is on the EU and techbros, but having internet explorer and other browsers like firefox (not sure if chrome did it?) enabling DNT by default would make tech bros upset, and the EU couldn’t have that, so they made the tech bros a little happier by allowing the consent banners instead.
From the working party back then, which was promptly rejected in the final GDPR we have today:
2016
2017
Heck, the W3C was even talking about working to make it happen.
Point is, the EU sucked up to corporations, surprise surprise.
Receipts:
https://ec.europa.eu/justice/article-29/documentation/opinion-recommendation/index_en.htm
https://ec.europa.eu/justice/article-29/documentation/opinion-recommendation/files/2016/wp240_en.pdf
https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/article29/redirection/document/44103