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Internet Explorer 10 first browser to have Do Not Track as default

Internet Explorer 10 first browser to have Do Not Track as default

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Amid the coverage of the Windows 8 Release Preview, Microsoft has announced that Internet Explorer 10 will be the first web browser to have Do Not Track (DNT) enabled by default.

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Amid the coverage of the Windows 8 Release Preview, Microsoft has announced that Internet Explorer 10 will be the first web browser to have Do Not Track (DNT) enabled by default. DNT is currently available as an option in most browsers that allows users to opt out of behavioral tracking, but it is not yet universally heeded by advertisers. Even though groups like the Digital Advertising Alliance are displeased about the announcement, Microsoft's Chief Privacy Officer Brendon Lynch recognizes the value in personalized ads for companies and consumers alike. Lynch explains the reasoning behind the decision in a blog post, saying, "we've made today's decision because we believe in putting people first. We believe that consumers should have more control over how information about their online behavior is tracked, shared and used."

However, documentation regarding Do Not Track features for other browsers is less common. According to Twitter support, DNT is currently available as a built-in option in Internet Explorer 9, Mozilla Firefox 5, Safari 5.1+, and Opera 12+, while Google Chrome has several browser extensions available until it fully integrates the option by the end of this year. Mozilla stated in November of last year that it has no intention of making DNT a default setting, arguing that it restricts rather than enhances the customer's power of choice.