Internet Explorer 8 gets Stealthy

Some have dubbed it "porn mode" but IE8 offers a browser privacy mode.

Microsoft Corp. has identified the new tools available in Internet Explorer 8, one of which allows Web surfers to have more privacy. Some have dubbed it "porn mode" for the most obvious use of the stealth mode. But privacy advocates have applauded the tool calling it a great step forward for Internet privacy.

Privacy mode is set to appear in the second beta of IE8 which is currently slated to release before the end of this month. Then the mode, "InPrivate Browsing" in enabled, IE8 will not save a browsing or search history. It will also not save any cookies, form data, or passwords. Additionally it will automatically clear the cache at the end of the browsing session. This is what lead to the label of "porn mode" being added to the tool.

Some of the other tools will include "InPrivate Blocking" as well as "InPrivate Subscriptions". These will allow the user to be notified of third-party content that can track browsing history and keep a list of subscription sites to block. "Delete Browsing History" is getting a face-lift that will give users the option to preserve bookmarked sites' cookies while erasing all of the others.

Rival Mozilla is working on a similar mode for its Firefox browser. Though they will be calling it "Private Browsing" and plan on adding it to Firefox 3.1 and plan on the release toward the end of 2008 or the beginning of 2009. Mozilla's goal for Firefox will not only be privacy, but also for the system to be able to quietly delete all evidence that the session ever existed before it happens.