Google Shortens Data Retention Period to Nine Months

In April, the Data Protection Working Party of the European Commission issued an Opinion that recommended search engines delete or anonymize user search data after six months. In response to the Opinion, Google announced that it will anonymize user search data after nine months, a reduction from the current 18 month data retention period. Google first adopted a retention policy in 2007. Google collects user information during searches such as user preferences, URL, Internet Protocol address, web request, browser type, browser language and date and time of web request. According to Google, such data collection and retention is necessary to maintain and improve its search engine, provide targeted advertising, and prevent fraud. The European Commission welcomed Google's reduced data retention period, noting that it was "˜a good step in the right direction' to compliance with European privacy and data protection laws. For further information, see: http://tinyurl.com/67jl39 For Google's announcement and response to the European Commission, visit: http://tinyurl.com/5wyyce; and http://64.233.179.110/blog_resources/google_ogb_article29_response.pdf For a press release from the European Commission, see: http://tinyurl.com/3hoo2b Summary by: Lauren Lodenquai