Microsoft may be editing your pages on the fly.
Microsoft *may* be implementing a nifty little feature called Smart Tags into their XP Operating system, which could add links to your page that you never intended...
Microsoft has started to back pedal a bit, and tell people that the feature may not be implemented, or may be turned off by default. This still doesn't bode well for the web designer, when Microsoft could hold the ability to add links to their own networks directly from your page, without your permission knowledge.
Comments
It's a legal minefield....
I doubt very much that Microsoft will implement this in the end. The problem they face is quite simple. If you didn't authorise it on your pages it counts as site defacement, and therefore every affected Website would be well within their right to seek criminal prosecution.
Implementing such a feature, following Microsoft's track record, would also be a major security vulnerability. We all know how this goes, if MS can make use of it, then so can a hacker. Forget back doors, this would be the equivalent of leaving your front door wide open and placing a neon sign outside saying "Come in, all are welcome!".
If MS do decide to integrate this 'feature' then you can guarantee that I will not even consider a MS server as a solution. It's not good enough that they say it's "Disabled by default". The fact that it's there means that it can be enabled.
The next thing you know MS will be capturing demographics from your site, and tracing your visitors, much like a well known banner advertising agency. What will they do with that information ? Will it be for their own personal use ? Somehow I doubt it.
RE: It's a legal minefield....
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