New rules about data retention 'should not hinder search engines'

Reducing data retention should not impede internet search companies in their ability to create user-related content, it has been suggested.

Legislation on how long search engine companies can keep data should not hinder their ability to make consumer-related content, it has been suggested.

Yahoo! announced last week a new policy that sets an industry standard to user data protection.

Under its guidelines, user log data will be made anonymous within 90 days, with some exceptions for fraud, security and legal obligations.

Senior research fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute, Ian Brown, suggested that there was no reason why companies such as Google and Microsoft could not follow suit.

He said: "It is quite possible to design systems to serve up targeted ads and personalised content in a way that doesn't require you to keep personal information for long periods of time."

It was recommended in April by the EU that search engines keep data for six months, in keeping with data protection legislation.

Both Microsoft and Google said earlier this year that they supported the legislation and have reduced their data retention to the suggested nine months.

The new data retention rules might have an impact on people who use a web hosting provider to set up their own website.