Google adds Do Not Track option to Chrome

Google has become the latest browser developer to offer the users a 'do not track' option.

The company said that the feature, which is still in being tested, would be available as part of the latest 'Canary' build of the Chromium. The company has said that the feature could be included into the general release build of Chrome by the end of the year.

The 'Do Not Track' system is a voluntary privacy programme in which browser developers give users the option to enable a special line of code in their browsers which informs webmasters that they do not want to have their activities tracked.

In a statement first posted by AllThingsD, Google said that the addition of a 'do not track' option was part of an agreement the company reached with the US government on the implementation of 'do not track.'

A number of popular browsers, including Internet Explorer and Firefox already offer a 'do not track' option as part of the browser settings. Microsoft, in particular, has been aggressive in adding the feature, making do not track activation a default setting in IE10.

While the 'Do Not Track' movement has won the backing of the White House and the US Federal Trade Commission, privacy advocates have criticised its voluntary nature. Because 'Do Not Track' requires webmasters to opt-in and before it works on their sites, critics charge that the feature is largely ineffective against bad actors.