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Microsoft Sticks to 'Do Not Track' Plans for IE in Windows 8

By - Source: Microsoft | B 26 comments

Putting user privacy first.

Microsoft has announced that it is sticking with controversial plans to have 'Do Not Track' as the default setting for Internet Explorer 10 users with Windows 8. Microsoft first announced plans to have DNT enabled by default in IE10 in early June. However, the announcement drew a significant amount of criticism from the advertising industry, and claims that Microsoft would be contradicting a prior agreement with the White House threw Redmond's plans into an uncertain light.

Today, Microsoft revealed that DNT will be the default on IE10 and that it's a done deal thanks to Windows 8's RTM milestone. Lynch says this approach fits in with Microsoft's goal of configuring IE to better protect privacy while also giving users control of Internet Explorer's features. According to Lynch, additional consumer research confirmed strong support for the company's "consumer-privacy-first" approach with DNT following the release of Windows 8 Release Preview in May.

"With Windows 8's recent release to manufacturing, we know many people are interested in how customers will discover Do Not Track (DNT) in Internet Explorer 10," Microsoft's Chief Privacy Officer, Brendan Lynch, said today. "DNT will be enabled in the 'Express Settings' portion of the Windows 8 set-up experience.  There, customers will also be given a 'Customize' option, allowing them to easily switch DNT 'off' if they'd like."

When setting up Windows 8, users will be asked to choose between 'Express Settings' or 'Customize.' If users select the former, DNT will be enabled by default but users will be notified that their decision turns DNT on. Selecting the 'Customize' approach will enable users to turn a number of different settings on and off, including DNT.

Windows 8 is due out October 26 of this year. The OS hit RTM last week, and has already been leaked to file-sharing websites.

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Top Comments
  • 21 Hide
    cookoy , August 9, 2012 6:25 PM
    who would want advertisers to track his every click? this time MS did right.
  • 16 Hide
    JohnnyLucky , August 9, 2012 6:33 PM
    I am surprised the advertising industry didn't convince Microsoft to change. That's okay with me.
  • 11 Hide
    tbouncert , August 9, 2012 6:50 PM
    dextermatIE 7, 8 AND 9 should of have that,Epic fail M$


    IE9 had it...

    In December 2010, Microsoft announced support for the DNT mechanism in its Internet Explorer 9 web browser. Followed by Mozilla's Firefox, Apple's Safari, and Opera all later added support. It is not currently supported by Google Chrome, but will be incorporated into it by the end of 2012."
Other Comments
    Display all 26 comments.
  • 0 Hide
    kcorp2003 , August 9, 2012 6:13 PM
    Will that be default for all IE upgrades to 10 on any OS? or exclusive to windows 8?
  • -1 Hide
    aftcomet , August 9, 2012 6:22 PM
    I refuse to use IE until it gets Adblock (never).
  • 21 Hide
    cookoy , August 9, 2012 6:25 PM
    who would want advertisers to track his every click? this time MS did right.
  • 16 Hide
    JohnnyLucky , August 9, 2012 6:33 PM
    I am surprised the advertising industry didn't convince Microsoft to change. That's okay with me.
  • 2 Hide
    jakes69 , August 9, 2012 6:48 PM
    I'm inching toward using IE from here on out. I been using Firefox for the last 10+ year...it just keeps getting worse with each latest update. Keeps freezing on several different computers. Chrome...not a big fan of anything Google.
  • 11 Hide
    tbouncert , August 9, 2012 6:50 PM
    dextermatIE 7, 8 AND 9 should of have that,Epic fail M$


    IE9 had it...

    In December 2010, Microsoft announced support for the DNT mechanism in its Internet Explorer 9 web browser. Followed by Mozilla's Firefox, Apple's Safari, and Opera all later added support. It is not currently supported by Google Chrome, but will be incorporated into it by the end of 2012."
  • -1 Hide
    DroKing , August 9, 2012 7:09 PM
    jakes69I'm inching toward using IE from here on out. I been using Firefox for the last 10+ year...it just keeps getting worse with each latest update. Keeps freezing on several different computers. Chrome...not a big fan of anything Google.


    Last time my FF crashed would be like months ago. Idk what you are talking about, sure newer FF arent much better than older ones but they havent failed me.
  • 1 Hide
    nikorr , August 9, 2012 7:09 PM
    dextermatIE 7, 8 AND 9 should of have that,Epic fail M$

    Who knows what else is in the bag : )
  • -1 Hide
    nikorr , August 9, 2012 7:11 PM
    jakes69I'm inching toward using IE from here on out. I been using Firefox for the last 10+ year...it just keeps getting worse with each latest update. Keeps freezing on several different computers. Chrome...not a big fan of anything Google.

    They are not updates, but beta versions.

    BTW, what is your latest version that u are using?
  • 8 Hide
    bison88 , August 9, 2012 7:14 PM
    JohnnyLuckyI am surprised the advertising industry didn't convince Microsoft to change. That's okay with me.




    I'm guessing because Microsoft doesn't have nearly as big of a dog in the Ad revenue fight as others *cough* Google *cough* which makes up 97% of there income. Even though IE is sitting below 50% world wide usage, I wonder whether or not this could impact Google's revenues in the slightest as the years go by and usage rises.

    I'm curious if the DNT will affect Google at all or if that's just an overstatement, but it would explain why Google doesn't want, but NEEDS to get out of almost all revenue streaming from advertisements.
  • 1 Hide
    math1337 , August 9, 2012 7:25 PM
    there's no law mandating DNT is respected. Since DNT is default, it will ut be ignored on IE.
  • 7 Hide
    ClarenceL , August 9, 2012 7:27 PM
    It's a pretty strategic move, Google counts on tracking for its revenue, Microsoft too but not so much. Both will take a hit but Google is going to be the bigger loser, and Google's privacy stance is pretty suspicious anyways so the public will side with MS.
  • -1 Hide
    CaedenV , August 9, 2012 7:32 PM
    kcorp2003Will that be default for all IE upgrades to 10 on any OS? or exclusive to windows 8?

    IE10 is for win8 only. We will not see it for Vista/7 just like IE9 did not make it for XP.
  • -3 Hide
    CaedenV , August 9, 2012 7:35 PM
    The only way I am moving over to IE again is if it gives me multi PC support like Goodle and FF offer. Once you get use to your browsing history, favorites, plugins, and settings moving with you from machine to machine then there is no going back. The ironic thing to me is that they could easily sync such things through skydrive like they do with win8 settings...
    IE9 is not a bad browser (like it's predecessors), it merely lacks the features that most of us want, and unless those make it into IE10/11 then they will continue to loose market share.
  • -1 Hide
    kaisellgren , August 9, 2012 8:08 PM
    What's up with some of the comments?

    Advertising agencies did ask Microsoft to change their mind when they said they were going have this enabled by default. And now that this is confirmed, I believe the point of DNT is effectively rendered useless, thus weakening users' privacy. I'm waiting to read news about big ad agencies stopping to honor DNT.
  • 2 Hide
    syrious1 , August 9, 2012 8:27 PM
    caedenvThe only way I am moving over to IE again is if it gives me multi PC support like Goodle and FF offer. Once you get use to your browsing history, favorites, plugins, and settings moving with you from machine to machine then there is no going back. The ironic thing to me is that they could easily sync such things through skydrive like they do with win8 settings...IE9 is not a bad browser (like it's predecessors), it merely lacks the features that most of us want, and unless those make it into IE10/11 then they will continue to loose market share.


    good way for your pr0n links to end up on your work PC - bad idea.
  • 4 Hide
    tbouncert , August 9, 2012 8:33 PM
    caedenvIE10 is for win8 only. We will not see it for Vista/7 just like IE9 did not make it for XP.


    IE10 Will be for Windows 7 and 8
  • 6 Hide
    jackbling , August 9, 2012 8:38 PM
    kaisellgrenWhat's up with some of the comments?Advertising agencies did ask Microsoft to change their mind when they said they were going have this enabled by default. And now that this is confirmed, I believe the point of DNT is effectively rendered useless, thus weakening users' privacy. I'm waiting to read news about big ad agencies stopping to honor DNT.



    Thus leaving the ad agencies as the bad guy; this is an excellent, albeit pointless, source of good PR.

    as an aside, the adblock argument is beaten to death, but if you are running an updated ie9/chrome/ff the only point in running adblock is to "stick it to the man" (or laptop battery life); legitimate websites depend on ad revenue. For the nefarious/questionable lot, you should be running sandboxed.

    And just to tack on an unrelated comment: What happened to innovation and moving forward? appreciation of new technology? Most "techies", anymore, are just people who enjoy spending time on the internet.

    Objectivity should be your goal, not this, "ick you use ie?" attitude based on ten year old information.
  • -3 Hide
    mitch074 , August 9, 2012 9:02 PM
    Yeah, great... Meaning that the ad industry will consider that one major browser maker went back on its word, and they will thus stop respecting the DNT header, sticking it up to all the users.

    Making it useless.

    At best, they will respect it only for non-IE browsers, and Microsoft will then point at the ad industries as the "bad guys" while they themselves were the cause of it.

    For those saying Microsoft doesn't rely so much on advertising, I'll point you to: Windows Live Messenger constant adverts, Hotmail's constant adverts, the future Office 365 Lite's funding through advertising, and its own Live Search engine. They may keep enforcing DNT, and then build an argument by saying "see? We respect DNT while Google etc. don't".
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