Microsoft to Delete User History Sooner to Ease EU Privacy Concerns

Posted 01/19/2010 at 1:18pm | by Bart Salisbury

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Search engines are incredibly useful tools for finding stuff of interest on the Internet. But each time a search engine is used a little bit of you is collected and stored for analysis: your IP address and the terms you’ve searched. Collectively, your search habits can tell quite a bit about you, which raises privacy concerns. How will this data be used? How long will it be kept? The latter question is important because not only does it allow a search engine provider a clearer picture of you, it means the data is lying about where other, less scrupulous people, might get their hands on it. Thus is set the stage for a confrontation: search engine provides who want to collect and keep as much data as they can, versus governments acting to protect the privacy interests of their citizens.

The European Union (EU) is a bit of a stickler on privacy. Under its Article 29 Data Protection Working Party it recommends companies keep the data they collect no longer than six months. Microsoft, the provider of the Bing search engine, however, keeps its users’ query data for 18 months. The EU, naturally, wanted an explanation for this lengthy data retention. Rather than pick another fight with the EU, Microsoft has announced it will lower its data retention period to the EU’s recommended six months.

Microsoft’s policy change will take 12 to 18 months to initiate. Microsoft wants to make sure its new data collection and retention system will be secure. Microsoft, in capitulation, also asked the playing field be leveled--that all search engine providers be forced to comply so none would be disadvantaged. Microsoft’s request was targeted, most likely, at Google, which has a nine month retention policy.

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