more on Does Google retain logs of personally identifiable search data?

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Ray Everett-Church <ray () everett org>
Date: January 27, 2006 12:31:50 AM EST
To: dave () farber net, ip20398470293845 () aquick org
Subject: RE: [IP] Does Google retain logs of personally identifiable  
search data?

> All of the analysis I've read has seemed to start from the assumption
> that they >do< keep these logs, based on the fact that they
> > could<. Is there any definitive evidence that you know of that they
> do, or is this just speculation?

When Google launched "My Search History" in April 2005, Google's VP of
Engineering, Alan Eustace told InternetWeek:

With 'My Search,' however, information stored internally with Google  
is no
different than the search data gathered through its Google.com search  
engine,
Eustace said. "This product itself does not have a significant impact  
on the
information that is available to legitimate law enforcement agencies  
doing their
job."

As I asked in a blog posting at that time:

Is he really saying that Google already captures and stores search  
data tied to
unique users? Unfortunately, Google's privacy policy is pretty vague  
on the
issue. ... Eustace may have misspoken... but really he didn't.  
According to the
"My Search History (Beta) - Privacy FAQ," you may feel free to edit  
the logs,
but Google is still keeping copies of the unedited searches.

So there you have it: a comprehensive log of your searches tied to your
identity, available to law enforcement bearing warrants and litigious  
people
bearing civil subpoenas. Signing up for the service simply provides  
them an
easier way to wrap the data into a tidy duces tecum package! So, in  
other words,
you are already using My Search History, and you didn't even know it!

My full blog posting is at: http://www.privacyclue.com/index.php?p=68

Regards,
-Ray



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