Microsoft Scraps Smart Tags Plan

Following weeks of outraged criticism, Microsoft Corp. Thursday backed away
from plans to include the Smart Tags feature in Windows XP’s Internet
Explorer 6.

The Smart Tags feature would allow IE 6 to turn any word on a Web site into
a link at Microsoft’s discretion. That link, without the Web site author’s
knowledge or consent, could lead to a Microsoft site or, conceivably, the
site of a Microsoft partner or even an advertiser.

Critics said the feature gives Microsoft too much leverage over how users
interact with Web pages.

The company reportedly will keep the Smart Tags feature in Office XP.

The final version of Windows XP is due to ship in October.