And you know for a fact that it's set to that because it's the default and that I haven't reviewed it and decided that I'm ok with how it's set out of the box do you?
I review pretty much every browser setting but change only about 5%. You have no way of telling how the setting ended up with its current value and without that that position is bullshit.
First, don't confuse me with Google. I'm talking about the argument Google's implicitly making here through their actions, which I wish they'd just say out loud so we could have a real and proper discussion about these issues.
Of course Google doesn't know your preferences for a fact. Of course Google has no way of knowing. But based on their behavior, it seems they just don't care.
An intellectually honest Google would argue 'Look, the default behavior of your browser is badly broken, because they've made it impossible to distinguish between the small number of people who care about this third-party cookie stuff and the rest of the world, who doesn't care an iota. You care about it? So sorry, take it up with your browser manufacturer and their goofy choice of defaults.'
They don't have the guts to make this argument with words, of course, but this is exactly the argument they're making with their actions.
To which I'd reply that my browser maker made at worst an honest mistake implementing a bad standard.
Google on the other hand cynically exploited it knowing full well what the intention was and not giving a shit.
I know which one I'm taking it up with and which one I'm not using any more.
But there is no honest debate to be had on this as if they openly stated their model was "fuck your privacy" they'd have a far smaller business as that would simply be unacceptable for most people. A position like that can only work if it's not public (ironically).
I review pretty much every browser setting but change only about 5%. You have no way of telling how the setting ended up with its current value and without that that position is bullshit.