NYTimes: New Web Code Draws Concern Over Risks to Privacy

Here's an article from today's New York Times discussing the advent of HTML 5 and the concerns it is raising over privacy. In the next few years, HTML 5 will take over as the new face of the internet. In addition to making it easier for users to view multi-media content without downloading extra software while enhancing our ability to check e-mail offline or shop from a smartphone, it will also provide marketers with infinitely more information about us as consumers.

It would be unrealistic to expect such capabilities without our privacy being invaded, since it is this very personal information that allows for the web to acclimate itself to our needs and suggest other sites or products based on our internet habits. So, in essence, it comes down sacrificing one benefit to enhance another. However, the article makes it clear that we should at least have a choice. While many web browsers do have privacy settings, they are not as clear as they should be and more often than not, are not as effective.

Hopefully as HTML5 becomes more ubiquitous in use, there will be enhancements to web browsers allowing for us to protect ourselves to a granular level of specificity.