Google has refused to provide the US Department of Justice with extensive search data. (see my previous note).
It prompted Canadian lawyer Michael Geist to write an article about the risks and rewards of data retention.
He points to the paradox that companies which retain data for lengthy periods to assist in analysing customer usage also expose themselves to legal requests for the data as well as the risk of becoming hacker or thief targets.(see my note on notification of security breaches).
A key quote:
The value of information extends beyond personal data. Once
aggregated, retailers can spot trends among demographic groups, ISPs
can gauge usage patterns, and search engines can identify what is on
the minds of the world’ s Internet users.
Given its value, it
comes as little surprise to find that companies retain such data for
lengthy periods, using sophisticated data mining technologies to
analyze the information. While these previous examples illustrate the
rewards of data retention (which benefit both companies and their
customers), significant risks also exist.
The same data can be
mined for purposes that extend far beyond the reasons for which it was
initially provided. The Google case provides a classic illustration in
this regard as mere search terms take on a new significance in the
hands of Department of Justice lawyers.
