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For six years, the Internet Nexus served as my technology blog, but I've since started blogging at the SuperSite Blog instead. If you're looking for the blog, please head there. --Paul

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Google to adopt new privacy measures

Associated Press:

Google Inc. is adopting new privacy measures to make it more difficult to connect online search requests with the people making them — a thorny issue that provoked a showdown with the U.S. government last year.

Google believes it can provide more assurances of privacy by removing key pieces of identifying information from its system every 18 to 24 months. The timetable is designed to comply with a hodgepodge of laws around the world that dictate how long search engines are supposed to retain user information.

Authorities still could demand to review personal information before Google purges it or take legal action seeking to force the company to keep the data beyond the new time limits.

I understand why Google would need to analyze search records. However, I don't get why the company would ever need to retain personally identifiable information like IP addresses. How exactly does this help the company improve it's services?

Labels: Google, Internet

[ Posted at 8:49 AM | Permalink ]