"Microsoft Quashed Effort to Boost Online Privacy."

[Samsonite 172]

"Microsoft Quashed Effort to Boost Online Privacy

 

By NICK WINGFIELD

 

The online habits of most people who use the world's dominant Web browser are an open book to advertisers. That wasn't the plan at first.

 

In early 2008, Microsoft Corp.'s product planners for the Internet Explorer 8.0 browser intended to give users a simple, effective way to avoid being tracked online. They wanted to design the software to automatically thwart common tracking tools, unless a user deliberately switched to settings affording less privacy.

 

That triggered heated debate inside Microsoft. As the leading maker of Web browsers, the gateway software to the Internet, Microsoft must balance conflicting interests: helping people surf the Web with its browser to keep their mouse clicks private, and helping advertisers who want to see those clicks.

 

In the end, the product planners lost a key part of the debate. The winners: executives who argued that giving automatic privacy to consumers would make it tougher for Microsoft to profit from selling online ads. Microsoft built its browser so that users must deliberately turn on privacy settings every time they start up the software....."

 

The rest of the story is here, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405...=googlenews_wsj

Edited August 3, 2010 by Samsonite

[joekicker 53]

Do you think the Internet is free?

 

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[frostfire 1,272]

Shouldnt this be in the politics section, since its obviously a jaded and one sided account?

 

The internet would not be what it is today if advertisers were not given a chance to advertise. If you want to be private, turn on privacy. If your too stupid to do that... buy a mac, or use linux.

[joekicker 53]

The internet would not be what it is today if advertisers were not given a chance to advertise. If you want to be private, turn on privacy. If your too stupid to do that... buy a mac, or use linux.

 

Macs and 'nix won't stop "them" from gathering your surfing stats. Which is the point that the OP is all about.

 

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[Samsonite 172]

....If your too stupid to do that... buy a mac, or use linux....