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Google defends data retention

Search engine giant Google has hit back at calls from the European Commission to discontinue storing data about its users for longer than six months.

Along with other search providers, Google was criticised for failing to delete information about those logging on to the site to find information.

But the search service claims that it needs to store data for lengthy amounts of time to improve searches and ensure good results.

A report from the EC said that, "search engines in their role as collectors of user data have so far insufficiently explained the nature and purpose of their operations to the users of their services."

It added that six months should be the limit at which search engines delete information they are holding about search requests.

Speaking on a Corporate Blog though, Peter Fleischer, Google's global privacy lawyer, said that retaining information about users is crucial as it allows them to analyse patterns in searches.

He added that huge efforts had been made by the search engine to ensure users are provided with, "accurate search results, as well as system security."

Google News posted on 09 April 2008

Comments

New EU Search Engine Privacy Guidelines

Yahoo!, Google, Microsoft etc. may finally have to dramatically reduce the time they retain users' online records.

Since the Article 29 Data Protection Working Party's decision may threaten ''the golden goose'' of the broader business of internet advertising,
which uses customers' online records to offer personally targeted ads, the big search engines will not be pleased at all.

There is only one search engine that already and easily meets the new requirements: Ixquick.com.

Ixquick.com deletes its users' search data (including IP addresses) within 48 hours and has done so for the last 2 years.
Furthermore Ixquick does not set any uniquely identifying cookies or share your privacy details with 3rd parties.
All others do.

Comment posted by Alex van Eestere, Ixquick.com on 10/04/2008 20:34:00