Yahoo rolls back user information storage policy

In 2008, Yahoo! became one of the first IT companies to propose the introduction of a kind of “anonymity” policy for its users, “significantly reducing the retention period of user search query logs, and any user information, such as viewing pages and clicks on ad units. This policy was for the most part a significant reduction in the storage period of user information - up to 90 days, after which the logs were erased. users, they took this move very positively, and today the corporation announced a “rollback” of this policy.

The reason for this move is not explained, however, the storage period of user information, the types of which were discussed above, is extended to 18 months. Such information is usually used to personalize the content of web pages, as well as to "fine-tune" targeted advertising. Perhaps the corporation plans to increase the shelf life of user data in order to continue research in the field of online advertising, conducting a study of the logs about user requests, page views and clicks on ad units.

Other reasons are less clear - perhaps cooperation with the authorities? But large IT corporations, especially the United States, do not often allow the state to launch their hands in the holy of holies - a database of their users. In general, Yahoo! I simply informed everyone about the extension of the storage period for user request logs and some other information.

According to the developers, any information that can help identify a particular user is usually erased. But who knows if this is true, or now such information will also be stored. In principle, for users of the CIS countries, Yahoo! don't really matter since the popularity of Yahoo! as a search engine, we are not particularly great. But in the USA the situation is completely different.

Via Yahoo