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Browser Wars continue as hot on the heels of Google’s action to cease supporting IE6 a Downing Street petition now calls for the UK Government to drop Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) and upgrade to a more modern browser.

Previously, we posted a blog commenting on the Google withdrawal of IE6 support and how this could be seen as a wake up call to businesses who have failed to keep up with developments of important functionality in website design. As a consequence, they are likely to have been seriously failing to optimise in key areas such as increasing visitor website accessibility, interactivity and online marketing engagement.

Interestingly, the Department of Health had advised the NHS to move away from the old browser software, first released in 2001, and still used by other government departments – and many firms, too!

Failure to understand the moving dynamic of the online environment and the requirement to regularly upgrade software, functionality and design has been a significant obstacle for many creative and software development companies, forced by government departments and other company clients to build websites for IE6 when most of the industry has moved on.

A recent example of a ‘head in the sand’ attitude was demonstrated recently in the House of Lords when, in response to a question raised, which asked if the government would encourage public sector users to switch to another web browser, one of the Lords was adamant that ‘ there was no evidence that moving from the latest fully patched versions of Internet Explorer to other browsers will make users more secure.’ Of course, the security issue – the recent targeted attacks by hackers in China using a flaw in the IE6 browser – having passed its ‘tipping point’, was really beside the point…!

The point actually is – if you are an organisation, and your online brand is to be taken seriously – whether in the public or private sector, no longer can outdated attitudes towards the internet, the online marketplace and budget expenditure be allowed to be an obstacle to future growth – that is, for your business, your audience and your customer engagement.

The latest surveys suggest that IE6 is beginning to lose market share (20.07%) and is no longer the world’s most popular browser, having been overtaken by IE8 (20.07%). Now really is the time to take the step to upgrade – and go for that website refresh, too! Then watch your visitor stats – and Google ranking – take off!