Microsoft “Ignores” Web Standards, IE10 RTM Features “Do Not Track” By Default

By | August 8, 2012 | 8 Comments

Microsoft Ignores Web Standards, IE10 RTM Features “Do Not Track” By DefaultGoogle loosens its tie.

Back in June, the software giant has enabled the “Do Not Track” attribute by default on its IE10 web browser, then, following a huge uproar from the advertising agencies, W3C have decided to update their DNT specifications and asked web browser makers to have DNT disabled during initial software launch.

Few weeks later, the EU has also noted the importance of the “Do Not Track” feature and joined Microsoft’s side.

Now, it looks like the Final version of the Internet Explorer 10 will indeed ship with DNT and unless customers chose “Customize” (instead of “Express Settings”) option, it will remain on by default.

It should be also noted that the DNT specifications are not finalized and anything can happen.


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Vygantas is a former web designer whose projects are used by companies such as AMD, NVIDIA and departed Westood Studios. Being passionate about software, Vygantas began his journalism carrier back in 2007 when he founded FavBrowser.com. Having said that, he is also an adrenaline junkie who enjoys good books, fitness activities and Forex trading.

  • James

    Congrats to Microsoft.  For once they stepped up and did the right thing.  Having DNT enabled by default serves the Add Agencies and not the end-user.  It should be the users choice ‘to be tracked’ vs ‘not to be tracked’.  Now we just need to get trackers to obey it.  Hopefully the EU will assist in that.

    • WOFall

      If it can be legislated effectively, perhaps, but until then it will have the opposite effect. Trackers will simply ignore the request if it’s enabled by default.

      If it was intended to work this way, it would be called “Allow Tracking”, not “Do Not Track”. By enabling it by default, Microsoft is only taking away the choice.

      • http://duri.myopenid.com/ duri

        Why are you so sure that trackers will ignore DNT in this case? Because Google and Mozilla told so? When Microsoft first turned on DNT by default, nobody of you was against. Trackers have the same opportunity to ignore DNT as before.
        Tracking is bad and should be banned globally. If somebody doesn’t send DNT it’s because he doesn’t know about this option, not because he wants to be tracked– Microsoft helps these users.

      • http://www.favbrowser.com FavBrowser.com

        Well, technically, they could say something like:

        See, this site tracks you even with DNT on, giving it some bad publicity.

  • Tiago Sá

    Just use Adblock and stop all this nonsense.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_HC472HNLLQYOPSQ546HVNCIBQI Chris Lu

    @duri
    Actually DNT is a voluntary agreement, that advertisers only agreed to in principle on the basis that DNT was opt in and not opt out.  Thus advertisers will ignore IE 10 DNT because it is an opt out, and not opt in. 

    Thus Microsoft isn’t really helping anyone.  They are scoring cheap PR points that only naive people believing Microsoft has their interest at heart, which they don’t.  Microsoft flopped in the advertising business just recently writing off a staggering 6.3 billion dollars from a 2007 ad company acquisition. 

    So Microsoft’s attitude is if they can’t make it in advertising, they will spoil it for everyone else which includes their rival Google.

  • Martin Suchan

    So if IE10 is not obeying rules in Do Not Track setting, then advertisers should not obey rules when user is using IE10, right?

  • http://my.opera.com/rafaelluik Rafael

    I fail to see the lack of option.
    The user must choose between the express settings or customized settings.
    If he chooses express settings it’s selecting the options inside it, choosing to enable DNT. Other way he can disable it via the customize “path”.

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