Microsoft to delete Bing user data

Bing to delete search data

In what is a victory for privacy groups and campaigners, Microsoft have said they will delete all user data collected via Bing after six months.

The software giant had been under enormous pressure by privacy regulars to change their policy of anonymising Bing users' IP addresses after six months so people could not be identified by their search terms.

Groups such as the EU's Article 29 Working Group and other online privacy rights groups have been concerned that the policy, also implemented by Google and Yahoo!, is a major breach of users' private online usage.

Whilst Microsoft may have relented, with Microsoft Vice President and Associate General Counsel John Vassallo saying, "We support what the Article 29 Working Group is doing. That is why we are making this change. We call on our competitors to do the same", Google and Yahoo! are holding firm on their decision to hold search data for up to 18 months.

"A critical element"

Speaking to The Telegraph, Peter Fleischer, Google's global privacy counsel said, "Data from our search queries represents a crucial arm in our battle to protect the security of our services against hacks and fraud. It also represents a critical element allowing us to help users by innovating and improving the quality of our searches. This is why we have committed to anonymising IP addresses in our search logs after nine months, significantly shorter than our previous 18 month retention policy.

"We're committed to using data both to improve our services and our security measures for our users and to protect their privacy, and we remain convinced that our current logs retention policy represents a responsible balance."

Yahoo!, who keep search data for three months, before anonymising user IP addresses, also appeared to hold firm on their policy saying,

"Yahoo! is extremely proud of our Data Anonymization Policy which has received wide support and affirms our commitment to protecting our users' privacy. Yahoo!'s policy both dramatically reduces the time we hold personal data and increases the scope of log data covered under the policy. Under the policy, Yahoo! will anonymize user log data, including deletion of total IP address, after 90 days with limited exceptions to fight fraud, secure systems and meet legal obligations."

Whilst internet security and preventing user fraud is a key concern for many online users, the thought of what they search for online being stored and accessed is probably more of a concern.

Relevant articles:

Microsoft provides 'free for all' security | Microsoft Bing visual search | Stop Google watching you

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