European regulators have determined that companies such as Google, Microsoft and Yahoo violate European data protection rules by keeping data for too long and not telling users how stored search queries and clicks help target advertisements. Search engine companies would like to keep data up to twenty-four months. The EU would like to have a limit of six months.  If adopted by the European Commission, the findings are likely to lead to the first stringent regulation of search engines.   Source: European Press Reports  – To read more go to page 20 (April 2008 Issue)

BIIA Newsletter April 2008 Issue