Microsoft Announces That 'Do Not Track' Will Not Be The Default Setting For Browsers In Windows Express Settings

Microsoft today announced a major change in their strategy regarding browser privacy settings. Microsoft is changing how Do Not Track (DNT) is implemented in future versions of our browsers and they will no longer enable it as the default state in Windows Express Settings. Two years ago, Microsoft made DNT the default setting Internet Explorer 10 (IE 10) through Windows Express Setting. Now, Microsoft is changing the behavior based on World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) which has refined the language to address how users express a preference regarding tracking.

Key to that notion of expression is that the signal sent MUST reflect the user’s preference, not the choice of some vendor, institution, site, or network-imposed mechanism outside the user’s control; this applies equally to both the general preference and exceptions. The basic principle is that a tracking preference expression is only transmitted when it reflects a deliberate choice by the user. In the absence of user choice, there is no tracking preference expressed. (Emphasis added.)

Read more about it here.