Tech Shout!

Search giant Google is now facing new questions about it privacy policy. The European Union is focusing on Google in this matter and officials from around 27 countries have warned the company that it is storing data on people’s searches for too long.

The EU has even sent the company a letter warning them that their privacy policies for data retention may be a violation of EU laws.

The data protection watchdog for the European Union also known as the Article 29 Working Group, has concentrated all of their focus on Google as according to the Union there is a great deal of concern in regards to the way in which Google holds personal search records for time periods as long as up to two years.

Basically, Google stores and tracks what people search for with individual users via their unique IP address.

According to Petro Pertucci, an EU spokesman, the bloc has sent a letter to Google, asking whether its data-storage policy “fulfilled all the necessary requirements” of European data-protection rules, considered more stringent that those in the United States.

Google has stated that these records are simple used by the company to try and improve the results of searches. However, many believe that this is an invasion of privacy.

According to Petrucci, the Working party expects a response from the search giant by early June.

The investigation is being backed by the EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini who considers the issues covered by the letter to be “appropriate and legitimate.”