Browser Data Transparency and User Control System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users have limited control over how their browsing data is used by third-party trackers, leading to privacy concerns and a frustrating user experience, as the data is often misinterpreted and used for targeted advertising without their consent.
Innovation Solution
A system that provides users with transparent control over their browsing data sharing through graphical user interfaces, allowing them to authorize or prevent data sharing with third-party aggregators, and offering incentives for sharing, such as discounts or cash back rewards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If third-party trackers are used to collect browsing data, then data aggregation for targeted advertising is improved, but user privacy control and experience are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a first-party browsing service as an intermediary between users and third-party data aggregators. This mediator collects browsing data directly from the browser and shares it with third parties based on user permissions, eliminating the need for third-party trackers to scrape data and giving users centralized control over their data sharing preferences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables users to self-manage their browsing data through a graphical interface where they can review, approve, or deny data sharing requests from third-party aggregators. Users have direct control over what data is shared and with whom, without requiring external intervention or complex privacy settings.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If extensions or plugins are used to block third-party trackers, then user privacy is improved, but access to network content and user experience are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using blocking extensions that interfere with content delivery, the patent implements a first-party browsing service that acts as a legitimate intermediary. This service provides users with privacy protection through controlled data sharing while maintaining seamless access to all network content without requiring blocking mechanisms or user intervention.
3Quantity of substance
If third-party trackers scrape browsing data, then data collection capability is improved, but device performance is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data collection function from third-party tracker scripts and consolidates it into a first-party browsing service. This centralizes data collection in a trusted environment, eliminating the need for multiple third-party scripts to run on user devices and reducing the associated performance overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The first-party browsing service autonomously collects and manages browsing data without requiring third-party trackers to execute on user devices. This self-service approach to data collection eliminates the performance degradation caused by multiple tracker scripts while maintaining comprehensive data collection capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a system configured to provide a user with transparency and user control over how browsing data is shared. The system can determine that a user has initiated use of a browser. The system displays, as part of the management of browser settings in accordance with a user account, a graphical UI that presents functionality to receive input indicating whether the user allows or prevents sharing of the browsing data. The graphical UI can list the identities of data aggregators and corresponding incentives offered by each of the data aggregators in exchange for the user sharing his or her browsing data. The browser can collect the browsing data based on interactions with web sites and share the browsing data with individual ones of the data aggregators based on the input. Upon sharing the user browsing data, the system can enable the incentive to be provided to the user.