In reversal, Yahoo will store user search data longer

[Peaches]

In reversal, Yahoo will store user search data longer

Move to story IP numbers, search terms, cookies for 18 months instead of 90 days unlikely to win friends in the privacy community

By Jaikumar Vijayan | Computerworld US |

In a move that is unlikely to win it any new friends in the privacy community, Yahoo has announced that it will retain consumer search data for a substantially longer period of time than it does today.

Starting sometime in mid-July, Yahoo will hold raw search log file data, including IP addresses, cookies and search-related information, for up to 18 months. It currently retains such data for 90 days.

Yahoo's chief trust officer, Anne Toth, said in a blog post that the change, announced on Friday, was designed to give consumers a more robust and personalized search experience while also bringing Yahoo into closer alignment with industry-wide data retention norms. "We will hold raw search log files for 18 months and we will be closely examining what the right policy and time frame should be for other log file data," Toth wrote. "In announcing this change, we have gone back to the drawing board to ensure that our policies will support the innovative products we want to deliver for our consumers."

Story: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/security/3275299/in-reversal-yahoo-will-store-user-search-data-longer/?zk=security