Internet search giant Yahoo! is to cut the time it stores personal data from 13 months to 3 months. It is hoping that it’s decision will provide a benchmark for the industry. Currently, Google stores data for nine months and Microsoft for six months.
International data protection officials have been urging firms to do more to protect the data of the users. Privacy advocates have welcomed the move and challenged rivals to go even further.
“I would challenge the industry to move to 30 days across the board. People should demand that their information is expunged as rapidly as possible”, said Simon Davies, head of Privacy International. A recent rash of data leaks has left users concerned and organisations embarrassed, he said.
“The less time data is online means the less risk that rogue companies can establish dangerous comprehensive profiles on users”, he added.
Yahoo! said its decision to cut the time it stores information gathered from the web surfing came about following a “review of it’s data practices”.