User Agent Privacy Preference Mediation Across Service Requests
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Solution Overview
Problem
Website providers often require users to manually select privacy settings for data collection and usage, which can be complex and inconsistent due to varying legal requirements, and users may not be aware of appropriate settings or how to use cookies effectively.
Innovation Solution
A user agent intercepts service requests, retrieves user preferences from storage, and manages interactions with service providers to enforce privacy settings, including cookie preferences, based on user, organization, or community preferences, and provides validation and disclosure manifests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users manually select privacy settings for each website, then privacy control is achieved, but user burden and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically selecting privacy settings based on user preferences before the user needs to manually configure them. The user agent intercepts service requests and automatically provides privacy preferences to service providers, eliminating the need for users to manually select settings each time they visit a website.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing users to define their privacy preferences once, and the user agent then automatically manages and enforces these preferences across multiple service providers. The system serves itself by automatically intercepting requests, selecting appropriate settings, and communicating with service providers without requiring ongoing user intervention.
2Adaptability or versatility
If each website provider asks users to select privacy settings independently, then website-specific privacy control is achieved, but consistency across different websites deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The user agent serves as a universal intermediary that handles privacy preferences across multiple different service providers. It maintains a unified set of user preferences and applies them consistently across various websites and services, while still allowing website-specific adaptations when needed. The system provides multi-functionality by working with different service providers using different privacy frameworks (CCPA, GDPR, etc.).
Solution Approach 2:
The user agent acts as an intermediary between the user and multiple service providers. It receives service requests, automatically selects appropriate privacy settings based on user preferences and service provider requirements, and communicates with service providers on behalf of the user. This intermediary role ensures consistent application of user preferences across different websites while maintaining the ability to adapt to specific website requirements.
3Measurement precision
If users are provided with detailed privacy setting options, then privacy control precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a simplified copy or representation of complex privacy preferences that users can easily understand and configure. Instead of presenting users with complex technical privacy settings, the system provides high-level preference selections that are then automatically translated into appropriate settings for each service provider. This copying approach maintains precision while improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The user agent serves as an intermediary that translates between simple user preferences and complex service provider requirements. Users provide high-level preferences through the user agent, which then automatically determines the appropriate detailed settings for each service provider. This intermediary function preserves privacy control precision while shielding users from operational complexity.
4Reliability
If browser privacy settings block websites from remembering user preferences, then user privacy is protected, but website functionality and user experience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The user agent acts as an intermediary that enables websites to receive and process privacy preferences without requiring the browser to remember them across sessions. The user agent intercepts service requests, attaches the appropriate privacy preferences to each request, and communicates with the service provider on behalf of the user. This allows websites to function properly with privacy preferences while maintaining user privacy protection through the intermediary layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by preparing and attaching privacy preferences to service requests before they reach the website. Instead of relying on the browser to remember preferences across sessions, the user agent ensures that each service request includes the necessary privacy preferences attached in advance. This preliminary action maintains privacy protection while enabling website functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes intercepting a service request from an end user to a service provider; retrieving, from a storage, a list of user preferences of the end user for privacy and disclosure on a communication network; providing the service request of the end user and the list of user preferences to the service provider if the service provider is to process the user preferences; receiving a service response acknowledging the acceptance or rejection of the user preferences or a disclosure manifest or both if the service provider processes the user preferences; receiving the disclosure manifest if the service provider does not process the user preferences; validating the user preferences and the disclosure manifest; and providing, to the end user, the service response, actions taken based on the validation and the acknowledgement.