CDT Releases Updated Report on Privacy Controls for Web Browsers

Washington–The Center for Democracy & Technology today released an update to the browser report it issued in October of 2008. The report includes updated information about privacy tools available in five Web Browsers – Firefox 3.5, Internet Explorer 8, Google Chrome, Safari 4, and Opera 10. The report compares browser offerings in three key areas: privacy mode, cookie controls and object controls. Each of those, when used correctly, can greatly reduce the amount of personal information users transmit online.

“We continue to see the browser industry expand the range of consumer empowerment tools through new features introduced in the short time since the last report,” said CDT Chief Computer Scientist Alissa Cooper. “Most important, however, is that the privacy has now become a competitive factor in browser development. There have been a number of improvements involving user control, but this does not replace the need for a baseline privacy law.”

The report is available for download here.