I am unable to reconcile an inconsistency between the common appeal search engines make that data retention laws require them to store user search query histories, and what these laws (where enacted) actually require. For example, this post at Google's…
Read More Does the EU Data Retention Directive Apply to Search Query Data?
I'm under deadline pressure currently, so very quickly: Declan McCullagh and Elinor Mills at CNet have surveyed the major search engine providers about their privacy practices related to retention of user data and behavioral targeting. Full story here, and the…
Google is testing new ad-serving technology with added privacy protections: In our ad-serving tests, we're introducing an opt-out mechanism so people can opt out of the test ad-serving cookie if they wish. In addition, we’re going to experiment with ways…
Peter Fleischer, Google's Global Privacy Counsel, has posted a short video to help explain basic search privacy concepts, such as what appears in a search query log entry, etc. This is really basic stuff, but a good step towards educating…
Read More Google Posts Search Privacy Video, and Leaving Comments Threatens Privacy
I noted a few weeks ago how privacy of Web search data has recently become an issue in the forefront of many people's minds. Well, the virus is spreading: Search engines dealing with privacy standards: The European Digital Rights advocacy…
For those concerned about the ease at which Web search providers can monitor, capture and profile your search activity, you'll be pleased to know that some important enhancements have been added to the popular TrackMeNot Firefox extension. As you might…
Jimbo Wales replied to my open questions on some of the privacy concerns that quickly arise given that it seems Wikia Search will be advertising supported. From the open forum (my original requestions in bold, Wales' answers beneath): What kind…
Read More Some Answers – and More Questions – on Wikia Search, Advertising, and User Privacy
I think we've all heard now that Jimbo Wales has set his sights on creating a search engine to rival Google, Yahoo and the rest of the gang. It is currently under development as Wikia Search (but I'm guessing the…
Read More Open Questions on Wikia Search, Advertising, and User Privacy
The Jan van Eyck Academie in beautiful Maastricht, Netherlands is hosting a forum on the French information technology project Quaero, its political agenda, and the new frontiers that appear if its initial questions are to be taken seriously. For the…
Read More Quaero Forum: A public think tank on the politics of the search engine
The title of this post is the headline from a story in today's Wall Street Journal (non-firewall version here), detailing how the largest web search engines are starting to make changes to how they handle the data collected from their…
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