Microsoft caved to European pressure to tighten their consumer privacy policies. Previously, Microsoft Bing kept consumers’ search data, including Internet Protocol address associated with search queries, in its system for 18 months. Now, Microsoft will shorten that time to just six months. Google on the other hand, stores Internet protocol addresses which can be used to identify the computer used for searches for nine months and then deletes all cookies after 18 months. They have not announced any changes to their policy.
Microsoft will be introducing the changes over the next 18 months as they aim to please a European advisory group that was critical of how search engines collect and retain data on individuals for advertising purposes. Originally, Microsoft was waiting to make these changes with the rest of the search engine industry, but now they are acting unilaterally and are calling on their rivals, like Google and Yahoo, to follow suit.
Google claims that in order to improve search quality and online fraud, such as companies artificially increasing the cost of online advertising, they need to keep queries for nine months. In the meantime, Microsoft is convinced that they can maintain their standard of search quality and fight fraud within the six month proposed time frame.
“Search engines and digital media providers, will continue to be affected by governments since it is such a new industry and rules have not been set. As time goes on and lessons are learned, changes will be implemented” said Daniel Owen, VP of LocalConnex, a local search engine marketing division of Direct Agents.