While Vista Is a Harvest Field for User Data, Microsoft Does Care about Your Privacy...

While Windows Vista is an immense harvest field for collecting user data, Microsoft made the first step for the search engine industry designed to enhance the current feeble level of consumer privacy. In this context, the Redmond company has found an ally in Ask.com, and together, the duo is urging companies to put together universal privacy principles. The global privacy guidelines will act as a standard not only for the data collection process but also for the usage and protection associated with user information in online searching and advertising.

"As search and other online services progress, it's important for our customers to be able to trust that their information is being used appropriately and in a way that provides value to them," said Peter Cullen, chief privacy strategist at Microsoft. "We hope others in the industry will join us in developing and supporting principles that address these important issues. People should be able to search and surf online without having to navigate a complicated patchwork of privacy policies."

"Anonymous user data can be very useful to enhance search products for all users, but people should have access to privacy controls based on their level of comfort around the storage of their search data," said Doug Leeds, vice president of product management at Ask.com. "We're committed to developing new ways to give consumers the control they are entitled to when it comes to searching online, and hope others will join us in engaging in dialogue on these important issues."

Neither Microsoft nor Ask.com have specified which members of the industry are expected to join their initiative; however, it is clear that the two are looking for support from Internet giants such as Google and Yahoo. Both Microsoft and Ask.com have small footprints on the search market. By comparison, Google and Yahoo as leading search providers will have a decisive role in the adoption of universal privacy principles. It is only through an alliance with such heavyweights that Microsoft will reach its goal of protecting customer data. The Redmond company has also invited online advertising companies and privacy advocates to the negotiations table.

However, one aspect that will remain unchanged is the fact that search engines and online advertising services will continue to collect and use customer data, and assimilate the information in their products.