Cloudflare has announced a
partnership with Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox to develop Private Access Control Tokens (PACTs), a new protocol aimed at distinguishing genuine web traffic from unwanted network requests.
The system is designed to allow websites to generate digital tokens that confirm a browsing session is being conducted by a human or an authorized bot with legitimate intent.
While
Cloudflare emphasizes the privacy aspects of PACTs, the system doesn't cover all browser tracking and fingerprinting methods. PACT tokens themselves do not contain personal information.
However, existing infrastructure for
tracking users through fingerprinting, IP addresses, and other browser signals remains in place.
The system also raises questions about the open web. PACTs effectively create a tiered system of trusted and untrusted traffic. Websites that implement PACTs may treat traffic lacking valid tokens as suspicious, which could create a
barrier to access.
Cloudflare has partnered with Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox to develop Private Access Control Tokens, a system for distinguishing welcome traffic from unwelcome.
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