Next version of Internet Explorer will block ads?

I came across this article recently about Microsoft’s next version of Internet Explorer. Apparently it might have a feature that, while protecting users privacy, may make it impossible for third party vendors to track your actions and habits as you peruse the web. Either Microsoft will cave from the pressure of ad vendors to remove this feature, or the vendors will find a way around it.

What I find interesting is that the ability to block ads and tracking code has been around for years… if you use Mozilla’s Firefox . A handy little plug-in called AdBlock Plus can block all types of ads: banner, flash or text. The plug-in prevents the content from downloading, and therefore from rendering on your screen, speeding up your browsing experience considerably.

As many know, there’s a whole industry based on tracking your actions on the internet. Google Analytics , Ominture’s SiteCatalyst and others make their money playing Big Brother. Most use a "tracking pixel" embedded on the site you visit that relays your browsing habits back to their servers for statistical analysis. If these pixels are blocked by the browser, these companies have no way of knowing how many visits a site receives, how long users typically stay or how much they purchase. The new Internet Explorer might not be the only browser to worry about. Google’s new Chrome browser also allows users to create plug-ins similar to those for Firefox. It might not be long before a Chrome version of AdBlock Plus appears.

Web analytics will have to adapt or die out like the dinosaurs.

Tags: internet explorer, web analytics