On Friday, Microsoft revised its approach to “Do Not Track” for all upcoming and future versions of its browsers. The company confirmed that it will “no longer enable Do Not Track feature in its web browser by default.”
The DNT used to be a default option in Microsoft Internet Explorer since 2012 – meaning that it would automatically be assumed that web users did not want their data to be seen by third parties.
However, this has now changed, with Microsoft saying that the latest industry standards are forcing the company to do so.
“In the absence of user choice, there is no tracking preference expressed,” Microsoft cited the latest World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) draft for the feature as saying. At the same time it says the setting“must” reflect users preference.
According to sources from Microsoft, the firm wants to “eliminate any misunderstanding about whether our chosen implementation will comply with the W3C standard [therefore] Do Not Track will not be the default state in Windows Express Settings moving forward.”
However, Microsoft still maintains that it will continue to “provide customers with clear information on how to turn this feature on in the browser settings should they wish to do so.”
Trust = Privacy x Value x Security #MicrosoftIoT via @MicrosoftIPC http://t.co/Py1UEHnG3y
— Horacio Gutierrez (@horaciog) April 3, 2015
The new alterations will be applicable for those who have bought or will buy a new Windows PC and/or if they are planning to upgrade the version of Internet Explorer or MS Windows.
How to turn Tracking Protection on or off in the desktop manually:
Open the desktop, and then tap or click the Internet Explorer icon on the taskbar. Tap or click the Tools button , point to Safety, and then do one of the following: Tap or click Turn onTracking Protection. Tap or click Turn off Tracking Protection.
Read more about these changes on Microsoft’s official blog.
