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Microsoft and Online Privacy??!!

Posted by michael on from the I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it dept.

codeguru writes "This has to be a paradox. IE has a new feature, the first time from a Browser manufacturer, that implements user privacy. The story is available on wired.com. 'The additions for Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser will describe cookies to the user and differentiate between first- and third-party cookies, Microsoft said. The browser will then let the user refuse third-party cookies.'." The browser manufacturers have had many chances to include privacy features, and rejected them. I'll believe this one when I see it.

5 of 14 comments (clear)

  1. Mozilla also has this by Drakino · · Score: 2

    Looking at M16, this is implemented into Mozilla as well. All it really is is just a setting that will only send and recieve cookies to the URL you typed. Mozilla also has the ability to ban specific sites from sending the browser cookies, useful for when a list of ad banner servers is obtained.

  2. BFD by Alik · · Score: 2

    Yes, it's a step up from the current "Allow all/deny all/ask all" model, but IMHO, this is still useless. I may not want to reject all third-party cookies, just most of them. Sure, there's the Trusted Sites zone, but I don't consider any website worthy of the label "Trusted".

    This is still very coarse-grained control. I can do a million times better than this with my nice little Junkbuster and get rid of banner ads while I'm at it. I don't see this change as really doing very much for privacy protection compared to existing free software. Sure, it's a nice gesture from MS, but I think that's all it is --- throwing us a bone so they can say "See? We're very concerned about privacy. Ignore that digital watermark we attached to all your Office documents."

  3. Urgent News Flash... by Brazilian+Geek · · Score: 2

    It is snowing in Hell! I repeat, it is snowing in hell! Hell has frozen over! Satan and Saddam have been seen looking for blankets...

    Seriously - that must be "A Good Thing"(tm).... BUT... we can't forget that we _are_ talking about Microsoft - the makers of MS Bob and Clippy the Paperclip from Hell...

    That's all, my conspiracy theory for the day... :)

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    All browsers' default homepage should read: Don't Panic...
    1. Re:Urgent News Flash... by technos · · Score: 2

      Wasn't Melinda the lead on the Microsoft Bob project??

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      .sig: Now legally binding!
  4. How is this different... by Anonymous+Covard · · Score: 2

    From Netscape Navigator's option to "Accept only cookies that get sent back to the originating server"?

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    Information wants to be free -- but informants want to be paid.