Microsoft Drops 'Do Not Track' Default in Browser

cio-today.com ^ | Jennifer LeClaire

[BenLurkin]

Redmond is changing the Do Not Track (DNT) browser privacy setting, citing evolving industry standards and the implementation of those standards. DNT will no longer be turned on by default but will still be an option in future versions of Microsoft's browsers, the company said. This includes Microsoft’s new browser, code-name Project Spartan, shipping on all Windows 10 devices, set to arrive this summer.

“While our implementation of DNT two years ago in Internet Explorer 10 (IE 10) was welcomed by many, others voiced concerns, especially given that discussions were underway at the time to establish an industry-wide standard for user tracking Relevant Products/Services preferences,” Bendon Lynch, chief privacy officer at Microsoft, wrote in a blog post. “Since then, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has continued to refine language to address how users express a preference regarding tracking.”

Lynch emphasized the W3C point that, in the absence of user choice, there is no tracking preference expressed. So Microsoft is updating its DNT approach to eliminate any misunderstanding about whether its chosen implementation will comply with the W3C standard. Without this change, Lynch said Webs sites that receive DNT signals from the new browsers could argue that it doesn’t reflect the users’ preferences, and therefore, choose not to honor them.

“As a result, DNT will not be the default state in Windows Express Settings moving forward but we will provide customers with clear information on how to turn this feature on in the browser settings should they wish to do so,” Lynch said. “This change will apply when customers set up a new PC for the first time, as well as when they upgrade from a previous version of Windows or Internet Explorer.”

[Captain Peter Blood]

I recently switched over to Firefox and could not be happier. Runs a lot better than IE, at least to me.

[W.]

Consider using these Mozilla add-ons. They will make your browsing experience better. No ads, no tracking, no self-starting blather...

Adblock Plus
Self-Destructing Cookies
Flashblock

Open Tools, click add-ons and search on the names. Unless you already have them, of course. ;)

[Captain Peter Blood]

Thanks, I will check those out.

[minnesota_bound]

#22 Plus all these.

Classic Theme Restorer’ brings back appmenu button, squared tabs, add-ons bar, small nav-bar buttons, a few older buttons and more to Firefox Australis UI. Use ‘Customize’ menu to move buttons on toolbars.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/user/aris-t2/?src=api

Tab Mix Plus
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/tab-mix-plus/?src=userprofile

Screengrab
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/screengrab-fix-version/?src=userprofile

Image Zoom 0.6.3
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/image-zoom/?src=userprofile

Nosquint
https://urandom.ca/nosquint/

[Scutter]

Re-read my post. that was my point...

[rarestia]

IMHO, Ghostery does a terrific job of tracking blocking.

It does, but Ghostery only blocks tracking programs and scripts. Those scripts can remain latent in a browser session and "follow" you.

The "Do Not Track" option in most modern browsers is a flag provided to a web provider that essentially asks that they not pay attention your ingress and egress with their site. It's a gentleman's agreement, nothing more. There's nothing to stop a site operator from tracking your IP ingress and egress from their site. They know from where you came and to where you're going when you leave their site. Do not track just "asks" that they not catalog your information. It does not need to be heeded.

[trebb]

The "do not track" flag is strictly advisory anyway. I doubt anybody actually pays any attention to it.

I use it, but you are correct - when it comes down to it, there is not much real utility in "keeping others from knowing who/where you are.

Plus, it makes it harder to get to the real local weather, etc., by keeping the useful sites from knowing (or at least acknowledging they know) my location.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I didn't mean that users didn't use it. I meant that I doubt that many websites pay any attention to it.

If you want to black trackers, use Firefox with Ghostery.

[W.]

Good stuff, love the customization level of Mozilla’s browsers with all the add-ons. A far cry from Netscape 3, heh!

[upchuck]

What is your solution?

[rarestia]

To what? This is a fact of IT life. I can go into any of my network devices, proxies, web servers, and I can tell you all of the inbound and outbound connections. What they do with that information is up to them. The “Do Not Track” option was put in as a “feel good” measure. There are no legal teeth behind the request. Most coders are honoring the request.

I just leave the option turned off or set to “not configured.” Otherwise, they’re just getting another piece of information from you, even if it that information is useless.