Rather than Gemini, we should make some kind of web site certification for no cookies, no JavaScript, and no external images. Maybe have a browser plugin that gives a checkmark on the tab when you’re on a complying site.
I’m fine with that I just wished there was image support,
The argument for the lack of it is that pixel trackers could be used to break privacy.
This shows that the Gemini devs didn’t know what they were doing. You can track people by parsing your server logs if you want. You don’t need a pixel tracker to do that. Limiting images to local server links only would have done the job.
Thats not the only argument against inline images:
4.4.3 Why doesn’t text/gemini support inline images?
This is a deliberate decision made in direct service of the guiding principle of user autonomy (see answer 4.2.2), specifically the idea that text/gemini documents should have no way to trigger additional network requests. Images are one particular case where this principle also overlaps substantially with our guiding principle of user privacy (see answer 4.2.1). So-called “tracking-pixels” have been a standard tool of the internet’s surveillance marketing complex for many years. These tiny, invisible images abuse the web’s behaviour of automatically downloading image files from arbitrary third-party servers to effectively trick your computer into “pinging” surveillance servers, reporting your movements as you explore the web.
I still believe that sacrifing images completely is a terrible idea.
I mean, you can have external images, and its then the job of the browser how to display them; be it inline, in a new tab, replacing the page etc.
It’s just that the user is in control of page styling.
By personal taste, I would prefer that every page has its own custom look instead of making it the same. Gives more personality. They could at least create some sort of reduced CSS and make it optional to load. If I wanted to see a simple page, I would rather read a book.
⚠️ This is just my personal opinion, you are free to respectfully disagree with it. ⚠️
