After a showdown with the U.S. government last year, Google, the Internet’s largest search engine, announced on Wednesday that it will safeguard information that identifies users with their search requests. The company plans to remove key pieces of identifying information from its system every 18 to 24 months.
However, it is possible for authorities to demand a review of the information before it is removed or force the company to retain it longer than planned. In a pornongraphy case last year, the U.S. Justice Department tried to force Google to turn over information about search requests by its users. A federal judge ruled that Google did not have to comply with the subpoena, although Google was ordered to turn over a small portion of the Web addresses in its search index.
Sources: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070315/D8NSJVQO0.html
http://news.findlaw.com/nytimes/docs/google/gonzgoog11806m.html
