At the end of this year, Microsoft is expected to launch Windows Live Mail Desktop, which will also incorporate various types of advertisements into this email client software.
The Active Search advertising feature will display hyperlinks relevant to the content of electronic messages. This is similar to the solution that Google is using with its free web-based email service, Gmail.
Windows Live Mail Desktop will serve as a replacement for Outlook Express and will be an upgraded version of Windows Mail, which is integrated into Windows Vista. Microsoft has also confirmed that Live Mail Desktop will be offered for free.
Windows Live Mail Desktop will retain all the new features of Windows Mail, such as spam and phishing filtering, RSS support, and blogging capabilities. This application will act as a bridge connecting the operating system to other services within Microsoft’s Live suite. Live Mail Desktop can connect directly to Windows Live Mail without requiring reconfiguration, and it comes with Live Messenger integrated while also supporting other POP or IMAP email accounts.
Similar to Windows Live services and other online offerings, Live Mail Desktop will also be supported through advertising, with Active Search playing a central role.
Active Search will appear in a panel on the right side of the Live Mail Desktop application window. At the top of the Active Search panel, there will be a web search box. Advertisements will continuously change based on the content of electronic messages or RSS feeds.
However, Microsoft is also prepared to address potential privacy concerns that Active Search may raise among users. The company has selected the consulting firm Jefferson Wells to conduct a comprehensive privacy review of Active Search, with results to be publicly disclosed.
Additionally, Microsoft has committed that all keywords used for searching and displaying advertisements in the Active Search panel will not be associated with the individuals who sent the emails, and the company will delete any keywords collected by this feature each time the application is restarted.
Users can also disable the Active Search feature, even though it is enabled by default in Live Mail Desktop. Disabling this feature means that the software will stop collecting keywords related to advertisements.
Nevertheless, experts have begun to express concerns about the privacy implications of Active Search technology. They have valid reasons: Firstly, unlike Google, which displays ads on the web, Microsoft is pushing ads onto users’ PCs, while users may not want to see ads on their computers. Secondly, Microsoft is collaborating with a third-party company to develop Active Search technology, while Google utilizes its own technology. If Google has faced privacy scrutiny, Microsoft is likely to encounter similar challenges.
“Microsoft values user privacy highly,” a company spokesperson stated. “With the beta version of Active Search and Windows Live Mail, Microsoft will do its utmost to protect user privacy.”
Hoàng Dũng
