Go Away, Snoopers: Internet Explorer 9 To Add Anti-Tracking Feature

Did you hear the one about the Web browser that tracks your every move? It’s great fun, all so that advertisers can better sell you widgets as you read Web Site Z by way of Web Site B. Microsoft looks to be buttering up to some of the users it may have scared off given Internet Explorer’s pretty dire security reputation. A new feature planned for Internet Explorer 9 called Tracking Protection would help users take control of what sites keep tabs on their browsing history. Control!

The feature, which will be implemented in a future beta of IE9, would let the browser connect to sites only when directly requested. For example, if you visit espn.com, then only elements from espn.com will actually connect (provided you’ve configured IE9 as required). You won’t subject your browser to any of the third-party nonsense/advertisers that ESPN may employ.

That’s probably something ESPN’s advertisers won’t want to hear, but it’ll help keep your browser your browser. No need to worry about Ad-Man A knowing whether or not you visit Site Z after visiting espn.com.

Or you can be like me and use Firefox along with the NoScript Add-On and basically block the entire Internet from your browser, building a white-list of approved sites and servers from reaching home base.

It’s not so much about blocking ads as it is about making sure mysterious third-parties are snooping on your every move.

And I almost forgot: SNICKERDOODLES


Well met, traveller. From Parts Unknown, Nicholas Deleon would stop using the Internet altogether if he could. It’s a fad, anyway. Then how to explain his Twitter?