Google, which had previously done battle with the Justice Department over a request to turnover Internet queries and other user information to buttress the government’s case in favor of the 1998 Child Online Protection Act (COPA), said it would not retain data any longer than it had to.
“Previously, we kept this data for as long as it was useful,” said Google deputy general counsel Nicole Wong. “Today we're pleased to report a change in our privacy policy: Unless we're legally required to retain log data for longer, we will anonymize our server logs after a limited period of time.”
Law enforcement officials routinely request Internet service providers such as Google to turn over user data in connection with ongoing criminal investigations.
Last March, U.S. District Judge James Ware settled Google’s dispute with the Justice Department when he ordered the search engine to turn over 50,000 random website addresses but declined to give the government access to 5,000 Internet queries.
Google said its new policy would strike a balance between user privacy and practicality. The data will be stored anonymously to help Google analyze user search patterns to maximize search capabilities, but it will not be available to identify an individual user after 18-24 months.
Electronic Frontier Foundation attorney Kurt Opsahl praised Google’s decision, calling it an “extra layer of protection” for users.
“You are talking about a potential treasure trove of information,” Opsahl said. “A person's searches reflect their dreams, hopes and fears.”
Wong said Google developed its new policy by working in conjunction with privacy advocates in the U.S. and Europe. However, she did caution that changes in U.S. law could force the company to reexamine its position.
Earlier this month, the Bush Administration said it would support legislation that would require Internet service providers to retain user data.
In October, FBI Director Robert Mueller barnstormed the country to drum up support among law enforcement officers for mandatory ISP data retention.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales also has called upon Congress to draft such legislation.