IE’s “Do Not Track” feature may not work for Firefox

Since IE9 touts a Do Not Track feature, other browsers want to get in the game. However, after meeting with online Advertising Executives, Mozilla CEO Gary Kovacs said that there is great resistance to the feature. Although the feature requires agreement from online tracking companies, the online advertising community fears that they will no longer be able to offer targeted, and more successful, ads to consumers.

From the Fast Company article:

Kovacs couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I said, ‘So you’re telling me your entire business model is based on your users not knowing what you’re doing with them? Is that how it works?'” Kovacs relates. “There was stunned silence in the room. When there was no reaction, I said, ‘I’ll assume that’s a no. So then your reaction must be that you don’t think you can create an experience great enough that they’ll actually overtly subscribe to it. Is that true?'”

Kovacs argues that if internet users want the feature, it will be noted and – eventually – lead to legislature. He also notes that he’s not against targeted ads and online tracking, just that he prefers the consumer know and opt-in to the service.

Firefox does not seem to include the Tracking Protection List feature that IE9 boasts. This is a step up from the “Do not track” feature which requires advertisers to respect the choice that users have selected. Google’s Chrome browser is also getting in the “Do Not Track” game, offering an extension that works with members of the the National Advertising Initiative, who will agree not to track that user.

Firefox hopes that the attention on the topic will encourage a public discussion and perhaps a happy medium can be found. Personally, I prefer targeted ads, as I really don’t need Android Panties, but I’d like to know that the information is collected and stored separate from my online identity (which may want Android Panties).

Sources: Fast Company, InformationWeek