Microsoft is the latest search
engine provider to enhance privacy controls among users to protect
their identities and data.
Microsoft Windows Live users
will see their search-query data made anonymous after 18 months, by
permanently removing
cookie IDs,
the entire IP address and other identifiers from search terms.
Microsoft's announcement follows similar moves taken by Google,
Yahoo and Ask.com.
Microsoft is also working to give customers more control over
what information it uses to personalise their online search
profile.
And in connection with its efforts to support a common industry
approach to privacy issues, Microsoft has also announced it will
join the Network
Advertising Initiative (NAI).
"We have been thinking deeply about privacy related to search
and online advertising, and believe it is critical to evolve our
privacy principles," said Peter Cullen, chief privacy strategist at
Microsoft.
"We believe our enhanced principles should be part of the
industry dialogue on this issue, and that keeping these issues as
simple as possible for consumers is the best approach. For
instance, on search data, anonymous should mean anonymous," said
Cullen.
Microsoft has also joined forces with Ask.com to call on the
industry to develop global privacy principles for data collection,
use and protection related to searching and online advertising.
The two companies will work with others on the development of
these principles.
"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 are 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," he said.
Microsoft and Ask.com are proposing that leading search
providers, online advertising companies and privacy advocates
convene to engage in an active dialogue to discuss privacy
considerations posed by the proliferation of online advertising and
search.
The goal of the dialogue is to determine ways that the industry
can work co-operatively to define privacy principles. The companies
will provide an update on their progress in September.
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