14 DAY TRIAL // Yesterday, Google was one of the main words in numerous headlines after it was reported that the Mountain View company is placed on the last position in a top with firms that fight for the users' privacy. The search giant didn't agree on being placed on such a position and already started the fight against the ones who are criticizing the privacy by requiring users valuable information concerning their privacy. Some time ago, the search giant announced a major change in its policy: Google will anonymize the search logs after a period of 18-24 months. Somehow forced by the recent announcements, Google is now asking its users whether it would be better to reduce this period to a fixed 18 months period or not.
Under the "How long should Google remember searches?" title, Peter Fleischer, Global Privacy Counsel, announced a new medication in the Mountain View company's policy: the entire period was reduced to 18 months and, in certain countries were the laws require it, to 24 months.
"We are announcing a new policy: to anonymize our search server logs after 18 months, rather than the previously-established period of 18 to 24 months. We believe that we can still address our legitimate interests in security, innovation and anti-fraud efforts with this shorter period. However, we must point out that future data retention laws may obligate us to raise the retention period to 24 months," the Google employee said.
The search giant doesn't intend to reduce the period to less than 18 months so all the searches will be made anonymous after this period. "We also firmly reject any suggestions that we could meet our legitimate interests in security, innovation and anti-fraud efforts with any retention period shorter than 18 months," Peter Fleischer explained.
Basically, the logs will be made anonymous by replacing some strings and private information concerning the user who conducted the search straight by the company's employees. Obviously, the privacy of the user is much increased, allowing him/her to avoid future problems with the old queries.