IE10 Will Have 'Do Not Track' On By Default 181
An anonymous reader writes "As Microsoft released the preview of the next version of its Internet Explorer browser, news that in Windows 8 the browser will be sending a 'Do Not Track' signal to Web sites by default must have shaken online advertising giants. 'Consumers can change this default setting if they choose,' Microsoft noted, but added that this decision reflects their commitment to providing Windows customers an experience that is 'private by default' in an era when so much user data is collected online.' This step will make Internet Explorer 10 the first web browser with DNT on by default. And while the websites are not required to comply with the users' do-not-track request, the DNT initiative — started by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission — is making good progress."
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
This is a direct assault on Google's revenue (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Who's DNT are they honoring? (Score:5, Insightful)
This is more of an anti-google move in the guise of privacy protection. They want Google ads to be less targeted to hurt their competition.
Expect browser add-ons to work around this ... (Score:4, Insightful)
It's nice on the one hand that Microsoft is making the privacy option the default, but if DNT is unenforceable, wouldn't "DNT by default" give certain entities an excuse to ignore the DNT flag by default?
Expect browser add-ons to work around this. Their EULAs will mention this so there may be no DNT enforceability issue, the user clicked yes. Google, Facebook, etc will surely have various add-ons that will "enhance" the IE10 experience.
Re:OK but... (Score:5, Insightful)
I know language is a dynamic thing, but wow.
Re:Who's DNT are they honoring? (Score:5, Insightful)
Sorry, but Windows has phoned home for at least 10 years, and sent data without user knowledge to 3rd party companies that could be traced to MS. IE may claim to have DNT on by default, but let's be clear. You will still be sending all kinds of tracking information to MS.
Seems to me to be a ploy to make money selling data to Google perhaps that Google gets now on their own.
This post is a perfect example of horseshit that regularly goes for +5 informative on Slashdot. Websites like Google track you and follow you around the web with ads and customizes the ads to your browsing history. MS? Does it really even know that you visited some site with Google ads on them(most of the websites around)?
> You will still be sending all kinds of tracking information to MS
What kinds of tracking information???
Re:Yep, MS is derailing the whole process. (Score:4, Insightful)
You are completely missing the point. Compliance with the DNT is voluntary. That is a fact, not my opinion of how things should be. It is a polite request not to be tracked, no more no less. Several large advertizing industry groups have agreed to respect this request, and things have been progressing nicely along those lines. MS actions are basically a big "fuck you" to groups who have previously been cooperative.
Taking an antagonistic approach to solving a problem only works you have something to back your actions up. If there were laws or regulations requiring advertisers to follow the DNT, then MS actions would be productive. If MS were instead to implement technical means of blocking tracking, their actions would be productive.
But implementing a solution that requires the cooperation of others to have any affect whatsoever, and then being a complete asshole to those people is beyond pointless.