Microsoft: IE10’s Do Not Track Feature Is Here to Stay

Windows 8, the next operating system flavor that Microsoft will make available for purchase starting with October 26th, will bring along a new flavor of the company’s browser, namely Internet Explorer 10.

Do Not Track, one of the features that this application will come with, has been recently subjected to intense debacle, and Microsoft took its time to provide some info on the matter.

The first thing it said, however, was that the feature is there to stay, enabled by default, although users will have the possibility to change that.

In a recent post on Microsoft on the Issues, Brendon Lynch, chief privacy officer with the company, explains that this is the way in which the company chose to go to protect the privacy of its users.

Users installing Windows 8 will be able to turn off Do Not Track right from the set-up experience. If they choose to go with the Express Settings, they will have the feature on but, if they go with Custom Settings, they will be able to turn it off right from the start.

“This approach is consistent with Microsoft’s goal of designing and configuring IE features to better protect user privacy, while also affording customers control of those features. It also underscores that the privacy of our customers is a top priority for Microsoft,” Brendon Lynch notes.

According to him, Microsoft has had a look at a lot of feedback on the matter, which unveiled a strong support for the “consumer-privacy-first” approach to DNT. This is why the feature will be turned on by default when going for the Express Settings.

“In the Windows 8 set-up experience, customers will be asked to choose between two ways of configuring a number of settings: ‘Express Settings’ or ‘Customize’,” he explains.

“By providing a simple experience that allows customers to set their preferences, we’ve sought to balance ease of use with choice and control. The recommended Express Settings are designed to expedite and streamline the overall set-up process, and, if selected, generally improve a customer’s privacy, security, and overall experience on the device.”

Users will receive prominent notice that the Do Not Track feature will be turned on when choosing to go for the Express Settings. Moreover, there will be a “Learn More” link available for them, so that they would be able to access additional info on the recommended settings.