On May 19, 2005, AOL announced the launch of Netscape 8.0, an innovative Web browser that automatically adjusts its safety and security settings to protect Internet users. Version 8.0 offers new protection against phishing, spyware, and viruses, warning users and disabling functionality on potentially dangerous Web sites. TRUSTe is pleased to play an integral role in this endeavor.

Netscape 8.0 is based on Firefox 1.0.3 and can automatically switch between the engines used by the Firefox and Internet Explorer browsers. When a user visits a Web site using Netscape 8.0, the browser will check simultaneously to see if the site is listed on a constantly updated blacklist of thousands of suspected virus, scam, or spyware sites or on a whitelist of more than 150,000 Web sites that TRUSTe and Verisign have certified as legitimate. TRUSTe sealholders are specifically noted as being “trustworthy” by a green checkmark in the browser. By contrast, spoofers listed on TRUSTe’s Privacy Alert page will trigger a warning page to appear; Web surfers will have to select "proceed" in order to access those sites. For sites not on either the blacklist or the whitelist, Netscape 8.0 works just like the Firefox browser.

In addition to offering advanced safety features, Netscape 8.0 includes several new enhancements that make surfing the Web easier: easy-to-customize multiple home pages; easy access from the browser to multiple email accounts; integrated Web searches using a choice of browsers including AOL, Ask Jeeves, Google, and Netscape; and easily stored, encrypted form information and passwords. Forbes and Information Week have already praised the new browser.

Netscape 8.0 may be downloaded for free at http://browser.netscape.com.

 

Wiley Rein LLP