It isn't meaningless, it just means that users don't consent by default. That's the default state; permission should always be explicit.
Perhaps the header should be made to be easy to apply per domain, so websites can request tracking permissions, but in my opinion the necessity of the header is exactly the point of enabling it by default.
The header is simple: I do not want to be tracked. Do not track me. If you want to track me, ask me to disable the header so I can leave your website.
Honestly, I don't understand why this header wasn't mentioned in the ePrivacy directive the EU passed recently. There's a perfectly good way to communicate intent about tracking options to websites, and it's being blatantly ignored.
Perhaps the header should be made to be easy to apply per domain, so websites can request tracking permissions, but in my opinion the necessity of the header is exactly the point of enabling it by default.
The header is simple: I do not want to be tracked. Do not track me. If you want to track me, ask me to disable the header so I can leave your website.
Honestly, I don't understand why this header wasn't mentioned in the ePrivacy directive the EU passed recently. There's a perfectly good way to communicate intent about tracking options to websites, and it's being blatantly ignored.