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Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John A. Stoops who wrote (41483)	4/7/2000 8:39:00 AM
From: puborectalis	Respond to of 74651

Microsoft plans free Net privacy tools By The Associated Press Special to CNET News.com April 7, 2000, 4:50 a.m. PT TORONTO--Microsoft promised free Internet tools based on emerging privacy standards for controlling how much information people using the Web reveal. Coming from the world's largest software company, the tools could give impetus for Web sites and other companies to embrace the Platform for Privacy Practices, or P3P. The World Wide Web Consortium, an Internet standards group, may finalize P3P this summer. ? Get the "Big Picture" ? Related News ? Message Boards ? Privacy and Security Topic Center Quote Snapshot MSFT 86.00 -0.38 Enter symbol: ú Symbol Lookup Quotes delayed 20+ minutes Richard Purcell, Microsoft's chief privacy officer, said the tools will help consumers better understand how sites track visits and pass along information to other parties. A formal announcement is expected in a few weeks. Purcell disclosed the company's intent during an interview yesterday at the Computers, Freedom and Privacy conference here, meeting through today. People using the Internet are increasingly concerned about Web sites that create profiles of email addresses, favorite books and clothing sizes for marketing purposes. Sites often disclose their intent in privacy statements that are difficult to find and understand. The Microsoft tools, to be released this fall, will translate such statements into machine-readable form and let Internet surfers block access to sites that collect too much. With the software, people using the Web can state what types of information they are willing to give, as well as whether they mind sharing that information with outside parties. Internet surfers will receive a warning before visiting sites that go beyond that level. Microsoft plans to make the tools for its browser, Internet Explorer, and for the competing Netscape browsers. Lorrie Cranor, who heads a P3P working group, considered Microsoft's decision important, saying, "In order for P3P to be widely used, there has to be good user software available." "The question I always get is, 'Is Microsoft going to implement it?'" she said. Still, critics believe Web sites won't have incentives to join, rendering such tools and standards meaningless. Jason Catlett, president of Junkbusters and a critic of P3P, said wide adoption remains years away. Copyright ¸ 2000 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Get the Story in "