With just a few clicks you can now make sure the computer you're surfing the web on has no trace of your activity. The feature known as "InPrivate browsing" is part of the test version of Microsoft's newest browser, Internet Explorer 8. Bloggers have been quick to call Inprivate the "porn mode", since anyone using the computer afterwards should not be able to retrace a user's virtual steps.
Once you've activated InPrivate browsing, this'll appear here and it means that Internet Explorer will be prevented from saving any data about your browsing session.
Internet Explorer 8 also introduces InPrivate blocking. This alerts users when third party sites are tracking browsing activity; this is where Google might be affected.
Banner ads are often displayed based on what Google or Yahoo think a user might be interested in depending on the sites visited. Blocking third parties from browsing activity could disrupt that business model.
When people are in InPrivate browsing and InPrivate blocking, er…they will be given a list of companies that, and made aware of who else is seeing the conversation. They can then opt in or opt out of having those people continue to provide and stream new information and data onto those websites.
Microsoft controls around 70% of the browser market while Apple Safari already has the privacy feature and it can also be added to the popular Firefox 3 browser. A Google spokesman told CNN it's too early to tell how the Internet Explorer 8 features work and what their impact on the search giant might be.
Microsoft says there're plenty of things InPrivate browsing does not do. It does not necessarily make you anonymous on the web so the sites you visit can record your information. And if you're using a network at the office, your IT apartment can still see what you're up to while you surf on a company PC.
Jim Bolden, CNN London.