Imagine, if someone wanted to know what topics you are interested in, whether work or personal, that information could be available from your favorite search engine. While not new news (search engine user privacy has been a topic of debate for a while now), some of the pressures for better privacy is having a very modest effect (but only modest, mind you). CNET highlights the changes in search retention, anonymization, and behavioral targeting (sounds kinda like stalking, doesn't it?) here. Turns out Ask.com probably does the best about not retaining your personal search data and anonymizing search information, at least according to their responses to the survey.
It's a little creepy when you think about it. Imagine if someone was monitoring every book and every category you examined in the library or bookstore, questions you might ask a friend or knowledgeable expert about your hobbies, finances or health care. And this information was available (which it is in many cases) to law enforcement authorities looking into you, your habits, and your background for some reason. They could get this information pretty easily if stored for the past 18 months by your most frequented search engines.
I'm all for hunting down terrorists, protecting our homeland security and allowing the search engine companies to make a buck (Goggle doesn't seem to have much problem doing that), but not at the cost of giving away our personal privacy at every turn. These days, our personal privacy seems to be slipping away in drips and drabs, akin to the proverbial frog in the slowly heated up pot of water (a metaphor I've used before). Do Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL (who I don't use) really need to retain my search habits for 13 to 18 months? I much prefer the anonymnity of my grocery store awards card which doesn't require any personal information (though they will take it if you'd like to give it up.)
Search engines are becoming more a part of our lives every day. Will we see public scandals where someone's personal search information is used in some way against them such as to steal their identity or in some way damage their reputation because of the topics they chose to search? Yes. The implicit trust in search engines to keep our search information private can easily be destroyed though one careless company, a poor choice in cost cutting some security measure, or an over zealous profit motivated business decision. Just like we are becoming more "green" aware to better take care of our environment, we need to be more conscious of who has information about us and how that could be improperly used.
Maybe it's time to frequent Ask.com for our searches to show them that we value businesses who value our personal privacy. Something to think about.
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