Earlier this wee Microsoft announced that Internet Explorer 10 (the default browser for Windows 8) would ship with Do Not Track on by default. This was popular with consumers and unpopular with advertisers who utilize cookies. When word broke that the latest draft of the W3D recommendations stated that Do Not Track needed to be disabled by default (so users had to opt in to it) most presumed that Microsoft would then reverse course. That’s not going to be the case. Microsoft has now stated that the W3D draft is just that – a draft and not final or binding. Further, Microsoft intends to work with W3D to change course when the final specifications are issued to permit Do Not Track to be enabled by default. Of course, it’s worth noting that Microsoft advertising disregards Do Not Track browser messages and track users anyway so there’s still a lot of distance to travel before this is all settled.
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