Gaping Flaw in Microsoft's 'Do Not Track' System
Microsoft stunned the online ad business earlier this year with its announcement that the Internet Explorer 10 browser, when launched, would be set to a default "Do Not Track" position, frustrating advertisers who want to target users based on their browsing history.
But the ad biz can breathe easy: IE10 contains a gaping flaw that will allow any advertiser to ignore its DNT signal, multiple sources tell us.
The hole is that the DNT is merely a signal telling advertisers about users' preferences to not be tracked—it's not a mechanism that actually blocks web ads from dropping tracking "cookies" onto browsers' desktops and devices. Any advertiser who wants to ignore the signal and drop tracking cookies anyway will be free to do so.
