Microsoft Stops Using Supercookies
The recent discovery of the use of “supercookies” has prompted MSN to reconsider its use of this tracking tool. The company announced that it has stopped its secret tracking of users’ browsing behavior. Microsoft’s Associate General Counsel disclosed that without delay, the company investigated the code after researchers brought the concern to its attention.
It could be recalled that about a month ago, researchers at Stanford University identified a “supercookie” that is able to resurrect users’ cookies even after these were deleted. This means that the cookies persist even after a user intentionally deletes them. Without their knowledge, users’ browsing habits can still be monitored. They believe that everything is “safe” because the cookies were deleted, but that is not the case.
MSN responded quickly to the users’ protests by stopping the code. To remedy the situation, the company extended its efforts to giving reassurance to users about the company’s commitment to upholding their privacy. It clarified to the public that whatever users’ information was assembled by using the code was never shared with other companies or organizations.
According to Microsoft, it has always stood by its promise to give users a choice when comes to the collection and use of their information. Aside from this, as to the use of “supercookies”, the company assured its clients that it has no plans of installing such a system and making it an integral part of its operations.
Without any reservation, the company reiterates its compliance with strong privacy standards in connection with the development and deployment of any product or service. In the past and up to the present, Microsoft works hard in order to build privacy into its products. Its strategy is to team up with governmental, industrial, academic and other sectors to come up with more useful privacy and data protection solutions.
There is no doubt that MSN wanted to show that its “pilot testing” of using “supercookies” was not an attempt to intrude on users’ privacy. Apart from Microsoft, there were several others who were “caught” using “supercookies”. MSN was the first to announce its quick action in disabling the code, hoping that its supporters would understand how it came about.
