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📂 **Category**:
💡 **What You’ll Learn**:
The Problem
Many CLI tools, SDKs, and frameworks collect telemetry data by default.
Each one has its own way to opt out:
| Tool | Opt-out method |
|---|---|
| .NET |
DOTNET_CLI_TELEMETRY_OPTOUT=1 |
| AWS SAM CLI |
SAM_CLI_TELEMETRY=0 |
| Azure CLI |
AZURE_CORE_COLLECT_TELEMETRY=0 |
| Gatsby |
GATSBY_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1 |
| Go |
go telemetry off |
| Google Cloud SDK |
gcloud config set disable_usage_reporting true |
| Homebrew |
HOMEBREW_NO_ANALYTICS=1 |
| Netlify CLI |
netlify --telemetry-disable |
| Syncthing |
STNOUPGRADE=1 |
You get the idea. There are too many, and they are all different.
The Proposal
A single, standard environment variable that clearly and unambiguously
expresses a user’s wish to opt out of any of the following:
- Ad tracking
- Usage reporting, anonymous or not
- Telemetry
- Crash reporting
- Non-essential-to-functionality requests to the creator of the software or third-party
We just want local software.
export DO_NOT_TRACK=1
Add the line above to your shell configuration file so it applies
to all your terminal sessions:
| Shell | File | Syntax |
|---|---|---|
| Bash |
~/.bashrc |
export DO_NOT_TRACK=1 |
| Zsh |
~/.zshrc |
export DO_NOT_TRACK=1 |
| Fish |
~/.config/fish/config.fish |
set -x DO_NOT_TRACK 1 |
| PowerShell |
$PROFILE |
$env:DO_NOT_TRACK = "1" |
| Windows (CMD) | System Environment Variables |
setx DO_NOT_TRACK 1 |
For Software Authors
If you develop tools that collect telemetry, analytics, or make
non-essential network requests, please check for this variable:
- If
DO_NOT_TRACKis set to1, disable all tracking - Respect the variable alongside your existing opt-out mechanisms
- Consider making telemetry opt-in rather than opt-out
See Also
🔥 **What’s your take?**
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
#️⃣ **#DO_NOT_TRACK #standard #respecting #user #privacy #software**
🕒 **Posted on**: 1777749851
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