IE9 Increases User Control

Internet Explorer (IE) 9, which became generally available in Mar. 2011, is more secure and reliable due to new features that give users control over browsing information and the use of ActiveX controls. Although the new and improved features improve privacy and security, they will affect the display of some Web pages and may create a false sense of security and privacy. In particular, information is still shared with many Web sites, and it is hard to tell when information is being blocked and when it is being shared.

Tracking Protection

IE9 includes two methods that allow a user to manage the information shared with some Web sites. The control issue is a problem, because when a user navigates to a Web site, either by typing the site’s URL in the browser’s address bar or by clicking on a hyperlink, the displayed Web page typically does not come solely from the selected or primary Web site. It is more likely to be an amalgamation of content: text, ads, video, graphics, and scripts from the primary Web site and other mostly anonymous, third-party sites. Some of the content provided from the primary or the third-party Web site can be used to track or collect information about the user’s online behavior, such as which hyperlinks the user has followed.