Microsoft to cut time search data held

MICROSOFT SAID yesterday that it will cut the amount of time it retains Internet users' search data to six months from 18 if other web search giants agree to do so too.

Search outfits are under pressure from the European Union to reduce the amount of time that they keep users' personal identifying data. It claims that there is no reason to keep such information for more than six months.

In September Google halved the amount of time it stores users' data from 18 months to nine months.

The Vole said that it has evaluated the multiple uses of search data and is prepared to move to a six month data retention timeframe. But it also said that, "To ensure peoples' privacy is protected broadly, while delivering benefits to consumers and enabling competition, it's important that all major search companies adopt the same high standards."

In other words we won't do it unless the others do it.

However, why can't Microsoft simply make this change by itself?

There must be a competitive advantage in holding the data. This admission means that, despite the protests of the main search companies, they must be using the data for something. µ

L'Inq
AFP