News

Google to Continue Storing Search Data Despite AOL Slip-up

Google CEO Eric Schmidt says that AOL's privacy breach on releasing its subscribers' online search requests would not change its policy on storing the enquiry made by its users.

Eric Schmidt said government intrusions in the surfing habits of its users are the greatest threat to online privacy. Schmidt said that the company is concerned about the potential demand from the government to up data on its cusomer’s surfing habits.

"You can never say never," Schmidt said. "The more interesting question is not an accidental error but something where a government, not just the U.S. government but maybe a non-U.S. government would try to get in Google's computer systems."

Google has been appreciated for going to court to block a U.S. government request for data on Google users. Schmidt warned that such intrusion could occur again.

AOL has earlier acknowledged and apologized for releasing data on searches by about 658,000 anonymous AOL users over a three-month period. This has raised the question of the risks created by collecting vast amount of personal data by search engine providers like Google, Microsoft, Amazon.com.

Google reaffirm that the company has a sophisticated security plans to protect its databases. "We have systems in place that won't allow it to happen," Schmidt said.


print	save	email	comment