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Improve ping attribute explanation #1578

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5 changes: 3 additions & 2 deletions sections/changes.include
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -14,10 +14,11 @@
<a href="https://www.w3.org/TR/2018/WD-html53-20180703/">HTML 5.3 Fourth Working Draft</a></h3>
<dl>
<dt><a href="https://github.com/w3c/html/pull/1517">Removes the concept of autofill mantles</a></dt>
<dd>Fixed <a href="https://github.com/w3c/html/issues/1389">clarify usage of <code>autocomplete</code> attribute on <code>input type=hidden</code></a></dd>
<dd>Fixed <a href="https://github.com/w3c/html/issues/1389">clarify usage of <code>autocomplete</code> attribute on <code>input type=hidden</code></a></dd>
<dt><a href="https://github.com/w3c/html/pull/1578">Strengthen the encouragement to use the ping attribute for link tracking</a>.</dt>
<dd>Fixed <a href="https://github.com/w3c/html/issues/1456">issue 1456</a></dd>
</dl>


<h3 id="changes-wd4">Changes between the
<a href="https://www.w3.org/TR/2018/WD-html53-20180703/">HTML 5.3 Fourth Working Draft</a>
and the
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31 changes: 16 additions & 15 deletions sections/semantics-links.include
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Expand Up @@ -1015,21 +1015,22 @@
in a tooltip.
</div>

<div class="note">
The <{links/ping}> attribute is redundant with pre-existing technologies like HTTP redirects
and JavaScript, in allowing web pages to track which off-site links are most popular, or
allowing advertisers to track click-through rates.

However, the <{links/ping}> attribute provides these advantages over those alternatives:

* It allows the user to see the unobscured final target URL.
* It allows the user agent to inform the user about out-of-band notifications.
* It allows the user to disable notifications without losing the underlying functionality.
* It allows the user agent to optimize the use of available bandwidth, so the target page loads faster.

So while it is possible to track users without this feature, authors are encouraged to use
the <{links/ping}> attribute, so the user agent can make the experience more transparent.
</div>
The functions of the <{links/ping}> attribute such as tracking which links are most popular,
or allowing advertisers to track click-through rates, can be achieved with HTTP redirects,
Javascript analytic software, and the like.

Nevertheless authors should use the <{links/ping}> attribute for hyperlink auditing,
as it provides several advantages, in particular to give users control over their privacy.

* Because the final target URL is in the link,
the user has more certainty about where they will navigate to.
* User agents, or extensions, could reliably inform the user about tracking notifications,
and allow the user to disable them on a case-by-case basis.
* It optimizes the use of available bandwidth, and the target page loads faster.

<p class="warning">Note that currently no browser is known to offer the user an interface
to manage their privacy or even learn when hyperlink auditing is taking place.
So unless users have extensions to do this, the privacy benefits are still hypothetical.</p>

<h4 id="sec-link-types"><dfn lt="allowed keywords and their meanings|link types|link type|html link types">Link types</dfn></h4>

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