Microsoft is working on what it calls 'tracking prevention' for the Chromium-based version of Edge, which will serve same purpose as the cookie blockers put in place on both Firefox and Safari browsers.
While Google Chrome remains the only browser without actual implementation of ad blockade, which reason is very much obvious, Google is the single biggest advertising company on the Web; Microsoft is looking to distance its browser from the creepiness already associated with Google Chrome.
The Edge tracking prevention is designed to protect users from websites that track their online surfing habits which tracking is especially beneficial for ads targeting, and Microsoft touted the feature after Mozilla switched on its hugely anticipated Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP).
Microsoft Edge implementation of the privacy mechanism is available by typing edge://flags in the address bar; same as the chrome://flags command which has been long known to techy Chrome users. And the user will have to select "Enabled" for "Microsoft Edge tracking prevention" settings option, then relaunch the browser; after which Edge will stymy all the trackers.
Albeit, the tracking prevention feature is currently available only in the "Canary" build, the least reliable of the four channels, and expected also for the macOS Canary build; and eventually, the Windows 10 and macOS Dev builds will follow.
The "full-Chromium" Edge which launch is expected this year - and also to run on older Windows 7, 8 and 8.1, may perhaps be getting the blocking mechanism. But it remains unclear when the tracking prevention feature will be ready for prime time, given that Mozilla which boasts of the most comprehensive anti-tracking scheme on its browser, took quite sometime in working out the rough edges.
Mozilla had initially made it available via Firefox's privacy mode, and then afterwards, moved on to integrate it wholly into the browser.
Microsoft Edge's tracking prevention has been seen as the company's loudest statement on its independence from Chrome creepiness, and perhaps, taking a leaf off Firefox is all it needs to reposition Edge to the top of browsers chart, once again.
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