Yahoo has said that beginning this July it will keep log files of users data for 18 months to offer its consumers a more individualised experience.
In late 2008, Yahoo said it would keep records of its users’ search queries for just 90 days in an effort to "strengthen Yahoo’s relationship of trust" with its users.
Yahoo became the first major Internet search engine to commit to "anonymizing" user data such as search logs. Microsoft made a similar commitment in 2010, but Google refused to follow the lead.
Yahoo said it may keep other user information for longer durations as well. The company added that it will first notify its customers about the new policy.
Yahoo’s chief trust officer Anne Toth said, "Over the last three years, the way we and other companies offer services online and the way consumers experience the Internet has changed dramatically."
"So, we will keep our log file data longer than we have been — offering consumers a more robust individualized experience — while we continue our innovation in the areas of transparency and choice to protect privacy."
