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IE10 Will Have 'Do Not Track' On By Default

Posted by Soulskill on from the stop-or-i'll-say-stop-again dept.

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."

18 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. OK but... by squiggleslash · · Score: 5, 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?

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    1. Re:OK but... by Moheeheeko · · Score: 4, Interesting
      Sounds to me like this will end up like the internet version of the "Do Not Call" list.

      Ask my family on how that one worked out.

    2. Re:OK but... by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 4, Informative

      Sounds to me like this will end up like the internet version of the "Do Not Call" list.

      Ask my family on how that one worked out.

      It seems to be working pretty well to me. I still get some unsolicited calls, but probably about 10% of what I got before NDNC. Most of the remaining calls are from charities and political polling organizations which are exempted from NDNC.

    3. Re:OK but... by Pope · · Score: 4, Funny

      Sounds to me like this will end up like the internet version of the "Do Not Call" list.

      Ask my family on how that one worked out.

      OK. What time are they usually home?

      --
      It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
    4. Re:OK but... by NatasRevol · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I know language is a dynamic thing, but wow.

      --
      There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
    5. Re:OK but... by Metabolife · · Score: 5, Funny

      Don't be ludicrousity man. He has an eloquentocity about him that your feeblistic mind could never comprehendency.

  2. Good job, MS by Sloppy · · Score: 4, Funny

    I've come to like complexity in villainous characters. I know, I know, it's all the rage now; I'm just saying this is a bandwagon I jumped on. They can't all be Saurons, give me a Jaime Lannister now and then.

    --
    As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
  3. This is a direct assault on Google's revenue by RobinH · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Google makes it money from tracking users and selling customized ads. Google would look bad if they didn't honor DNT. Microsoft is setting the standard that DNT should be on by default, which reduces the ability for Google to track you all over the web. MS is not an ad company, so they really won't feel this as much.

    --
    "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain
    1. Re:This is a direct assault on Google's revenue by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Yes, this is an attack on Google, and has little to do with being "pro-consumer". In fact, I would consider it "anti-consumer", since non-paranoid people benefit from tracking, because it means the ads they are going to see anyway are tailored to their actual interests. I have no interest in turning off tracking, and want ad agencies to have as much information about me and my interests as I can give them.

      Just in case Google is parsing this post: I will be buying a new mini-van later this summer.

    2. Re:This is a direct assault on Google's revenue by Frankie70 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Just in case Google is parsing this post: I will be buying a new mini-van later this summer.

      We already know. We started the process to make you want a new van 3 weeks ago by showing ads for minivans 3 weeks ago. We also know you finally made up you mind yesterday.

      - The Google Team.

  4. Who's DNT are they honoring? by s.petry · · Score: 4, Informative

    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.

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    -The wise argue that there are few absolutes, the fool argues that there are no probabilities.

    1. Re:Who's DNT are they honoring? by Anonymous Coward · · 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.

    2. Re:Who's DNT are they honoring? by mystikkman · · Score: 4, 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???

  5. The Real Question by clarkn0va · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Will the next version of Windows be the first in decades to not collect personally identifiable information from every user, by way of activation and other control schemes?

    It might make the marketeers feel all good inside to spout platitudes like "private by default' in an era when so much user data is collected online," but let MS apply the same sacrosanct wisdom to its own practise.

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    I am literally 3000 tokens away from the chaotic crossbow --Stephen
  6. Expect browser add-ons to work around this ... by perpenso · · Score: 3, 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.

  7. Google will find a way to break it by recoiledsnake · · Score: 4, Informative

    They hacked Safari's privacy measures previously.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/17/google-tricked-apples-saf_n_1284551.html

    They also ignored IE's p3p setting.

    http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2012/02/20/google-bypassing-user-privacy-settings.aspx

    Expect Google fanboys/employees to slag MS for protecting the users' privacy in the comments.

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    This space for rent.
  8. Yep, MS is derailing the whole process. by pavon · · Score: 3, Informative

    Yeah, both the FTC guidelines and the current W3C DNT draft both state that users should opt-out of tracking, not opt-in. Furthermore, the advertizing industry groups like that have had the most successful with self-regulation efforts have flat-out said that while they will respect the user's chose to opt-out, they will ignore any system that opts users out automatically.

    Microsoft's decision here is completely counter productive. At best, it means that sites will add code to ignore theDNT header if the UA is IE. At worst it will derail the entire process.

    1. Re:Yep, MS is derailing the whole process. by pavon · · Score: 3, 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.