Microsoft Readies Two Browser Privacy Tools

Microsoft has applied for trademarks on a pair of browser privacy tools that might show up as features on the forthcoming IE8.

Information Week has reported that on July 30, Microsoft applied for two trademarks related to browser security, and the speculation is that the features could show up in the new version of Internet Explorer, IE8, which is due later this year.

The company applied to trademark the names Cleartracks and InPrivate. In the application, Cleartracks is described as "computer programs for accessing and using the Internet and the World Wide Web, and computer programs for deleting search history after accessing Web sites."

The description for InPrivate is for "computer programs for disabling the history of file caching features of a Web browser, and computer software for notifying a user of a Web browser when others are tracking Web use and for controlling the information others can access about such use."

Currently it’s easy to access the history of a person’s browser use, which has proved useful to both police and employers. Microsoft hasn’t confirmed whether the features will be part of IE8.

The trademark applications were filed on behalf of Microsoft by Seattle attorney William Ferron.