<i>The advent of [DNT] threatens the barter system wherein consumers allow sites and third-party ad networks to collect information about their online activities in exchange for open access to maps, e-mail, games, music, social networks and whatnot</i><p>This narrative about a "quid-pro-quo" social contact is <i>completely manufactured</i>. All of this <sharing> was part of online culture before the cookie, and in particilar widespread privacy invasion of pixel tracking and the rest. Ie, it's ex-post rationalization by those who have a stake in the outcome.<p>Was the cookie the <worst> decision ever in the history of the internet? The Barter System? WAT?