14 DAY TRIAL // Internet Explorer 9 is already perfectly equipped to protect user privacy and to put customers in control when it comes to what third-parties can track them when surfing the web.
Introduced with the Release Candidate of IE9, Tracking Protection only matured with the RTW version of the browser.
In IE9 RTW, Tracking Protection was extended to also cover ActiveX controls such as Adobe Flash.
This feature is in fact an opt-in mechanism, which involves the users taking an active role in protecting their privacy by downloading and installing a Tracking Protection List and blocking third-party sites, such as advertisers, from tracking their online behavior.
Customers need only head over to the Internet Explorer Test Drive Center and they’ll find that a section of the site is reserved for Tracking Protection Lists.
TPLs are currently available from Abine, EasyPrivacy, PrivacyChoice, and TRUSTe. Microsoft does not create TPLs, not did the company enable Tracking Protection by default in IE9.
At the same time, IE9 RTW implements a second user privacy protection method, offering support for the Do Not Track User Preference, both as a DOM property and an HTTP header.
“There are a lot of different privacy solutions being discussed, some that need further work with the industry to protect customers and others that protect customers today,” a Microsoft spokesperson told me.
“We believe in overachieving for our customers on privacy and are delivering privacy protections that reflect how people actually use the web today.”
What users need to understand is that Tracking Protection is fully functional and is already available today to protect their privacy.
The Do Not Track User Preference header , while already implemented by the browsers, can only send a signal to the servers of third-party sites parties that track customers while they’re online.
That’s it. At this point in time, online advertisers simply do not know what to do when receiving a Do Not Track User Preference header. There’s no policy in place, no regulations, no rules, not even an industry-wide consensus on the actions that the Do Not Track User Preference should have advertisers, as well as any third-parties, follow.
The Do Not Track User Preference is more something in the lines of “Do not step on the grass” signs. Which means that the HTTP header or DOM property cannot enforce user privacy if third-parties choose to ignore it completely.
IE9 Tracking Protection on the other hand, allows users to control their privacy, and block tracking at browser level, rather than trust the good intentions of third-parties which benefit from tracking online behavior, and less so from protecting privacy.
Windows Internet Explorer 9 RTW for Windows 7 and Windows 7 SP1 is available for download here.
Windows Internet Explorer 9 RTW for Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 is available for download here.
Windows Internet Explorer 9 RTW for Windows Vista SP2 64-bit edition and Windows Server 2008 SP2 64-bit edition is available for download here.
Windows Internet Explorer 9 RTW for Windows 7 64-bit edition, Windows 7 SP1 64-bit edition, Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit edition and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 64-bit edition is available for download here.