PCMAG.COM “Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2” gives a good general description of the new IE8 currently in Beta 2, and compares its new features with Firefox 3 and Apple’s (AAPL) Safari. In general they conclude that IE8 compares well, but is not superior in all features. Microsoft’s (MSFT) “Windows Internet Explorer 8: Home page” and “Internet Explorer 8: End User Features” are also good starting points to understand the new features.

The features that intrigue me the most are InPrivate and InPrivate Blocking. Journalists have called InPrivate “Porn Mode” because it prevents history, temporary files, cookies, usernames and passwords from being maintained on your browser. IE7 users can simply go to Tools/Delete Browser History/Delete All and check “Also delete files and settings stored by add-ons” to accomplish the same thing. Microsoft’s cute example is to prevent that special someone from knowing you’re shopping for them.

As Microsoft explains, websites are often a mosaic of content provided by the primary website and content provided by secondary sites. The primary site is the URL in the address bar, the site you requested or were redirected to. Secondary sites provide content such as newsfeeds, maps and advertisements. However, secondary sites have the same access to browser information such as IP address as the primary site. Secondary sites can aggregate data about you across sites you vist where they are invoked, they follow your trail. InPrivate Blocking allows you some control in blocking secondary sites from accessing your browser.

InPrivate Blocking is automatically invoked when InPrivate is turned on. It has to be manually disabled. IE8 does not stop secondary sites the moment it is invoked. Some time must pass and a certain number of occurrences before IE8 determines that a secondary site is sniffing your trail. You can, however, list specific secondary sites to always be allowed and blocked.

Users pay a small price for going InPrivate. Their searches and autocomplete will not include sites visited when InPrivate. They will be more dependent of their favorites. Also, it could be annoying when feeds and widgets are blocked from the sites you’re visiting.

Think of the implications of users allowing MapQuest and blocking Google (GOOG) or other advertising networks. Google and its peers would not be able to trace your web activities as easily and content providers would not be compensated for their work. My guess is that within a short period of time advertisers and profilers will find a new method of making their activities stealth.

No Disclosures.