Google Chrome Implements "Do Not Track" Feature

Recently, Google released a Do Not Track setting in the developer build of Chrome. While the other browsers, like Safari, Firefox, and Internet Explorer, had this feature for a while, Google’s Chrome did not have the feature of baked directly into the browser, rather relying on a chrome extension call “Keep My Opt-Outs”.

Do Not Track is a simple web header that tells website when a user wants to opt out of targeted tracking and advertising. Since the discovery of  website tracking and targeted ads, many privacy advocates support for a Do Not Track option. For a while, Google’s Chrome browser has been relatively slow about it. After competition from other browsers with a Do Not Track feature, like Firefox and Internet Explorer, Google cannot  ignore that feature out anymore.

The most logical reason for Google to not have that feature for a while is because much of the company is ad-supported, as it is its lifeblood of the company.Even though Google may implement that feature into Google Chrome, it is unlikely it will be enabled by default, rather requiring users to enable the feature in the settings. Additionally, even though users enable the feature, it does not guarantee privacy everywhere, giving users a false sense of security (sites like Facebook have not agreed to participate in a Do Not Track setting yet).

Still some block is better than no block in tracking and targeted advertising. While the feature is being tested in the Developer builds, the feature will reportedly come to the stable release by the end of the year.