Microsoft's "Do Not Track" Response

IE9 Extreme Preview

On December 1st, the American Federal Trade Commission released its report on consumer privacy, the catchy "Protecting Consumer Privacy in an Era of Rapid Change" (PDF). As detailed in the commission's press release, there are two major talking points in the report:

1. a proposed framework to balance (a) consumers' privacy interests, with (b) innovation relying on consumer feedback to develop new, beneficial products and services;
2. a suggested “Do Not Track” mechanism, probably a persistent browser setting, providing control over collection of data about users' online searching and browsing activities.
   

Microsoft were quick off the mark, with Chief Privacy Officer Brendon Lynch responding that same day, via the legal and policy On The Issues blog, thanking the FTC (note: they also collaborated with the Article 29 Working Party in the EU) for the opportunity to participate in the roundtables forming the basis of the report, and after bigging up a little IE8, promising that Internet Explorer 9 will continue this focus and leadership on enabling our customers’ choice and control with respect to their online privacy, and to support the FTC’s continued work to engage all interested stakeholders on these important issues.

In the follow-up, Chief Privacy Strategist Peter Cullen presents a considered review of the issues, and of events leading up to the announcement of a Tracking Protection Feature in IE9, whence the above video demonstration.

Via: Associated Press.