Microsoft Blasts Google Over Safari Tracking

Microsoft has wasted no time in sniping at Google over claims the search company deliberately circumvented Apple's privacy systems in Safari so as to track users, pimping Internet Explorer in the process. "If you find this type of behavior alarming and want to protect your confidential information and privacy while you're online" Ryan Gavin, IE business and marketing manager writes on the official Windows Team blog, "there are alternatives for you."

"The novelty here is that Google apparently circumvented the privacy protections built into Apple's Safari browser in a deliberate, and ultimately, successful fashion" Gavin says, bringing up the last batch of Google privacy concerns. Back then, Microsoft launched another campaign intended to capitalize on users worried their personal data might not be safe.

We're expecting to see Google fire back with some claims of its own, just as it did before over Microsoft's "Gmail Man" advert that suggested Google was reading all users' email so as to sell their details to advertisers.

Microsoft claims IE9's Tracking Protection prevents the sort of monitoring Google is accused of. "You are in control of who is tracking your actions online" Gavin argues, "Not Google. Not advertisers. Just you." However, the system also came in for criticism at launch, the claims it failed to default to safer browsing settings.