Microsoft & Ask.com push for uniform online privacy rules

Stuart Corner
Monday, 23 July 2007 10:48

Your IT - Home IT

Microsoft and Ask.com have called on the IT industry to develop global privacy principles for data collection, use and protection related to searching and online advertising.

They say they will work with other technology companies consumer advocacy organisations and academics to develop the privacy principles, which could include developing and sharing best practices to provide more control for consumers. They intend to provide an update on their progress in September.

"As search and other online services progress, it's important for our customers to be able to trust that their information is being used appropriately and in a way that provides value to them," said Peter Cullen, chief privacy strategist at Microsoft. "We hope others in the industry will join us in developing and supporting principles that address these important issues. People should be able to search and surf online without having to navigate a complicated patchwork of privacy policies."

"Anonymous user data can be very useful to enhance search products for all users, but people should have access to privacy controls based on their level of comfort around the storage of their search data," said Doug Leeds, vice president of product management at Ask.com.

"We're committed to developing new ways to give consumers the control they are entitled to when it comes to searching online, and hope others will join us in engaging in dialogue on these important issues."

Microsoft and Ask.com are proposing that leading search providers, online advertising companies and privacy advocates convene to engage in an active dialogue to discuss privacy considerations posed by the proliferation of online advertising and search.

The goal of the dialogue is to determine ways that the industry can work cooperatively to define privacy principles that take these new considerations into account.