Google privacy policy 'is vague'

Speaking to the BBC, Peter Fleischer, Google's global privacy counsel, has said that elements of Google's privacy policy are 'vague' and need to be made more precise in response to European Union privacy concerns.

An influential European Union group of privacy experts -- the Article 29 Working Group -- published a letter to Google on the 16 May outlining privacy concerns over the length of time Google will hold personally identifiable data as part of its European data processing activities.

Previously Google had no privacy policy on how long it would keep such data -- meaning in theory it could hold personally identifiable server log data indefinitely.

In March Fleisher announced that Google would still keep its server log data but that it would make it "much more anonymous, so that it can no longer be identified with individual users, after 18–24 months."

The Article 29 Working Group was concerned that the "storage period of 18 to 24 months on the basis indicated by Google thus far, does not seem to meet the requirements of the European legal data protection framework."

Meanwhile, the US Federal Trade Commission has antitrust concerns over Google's purchase of internet advertising firm Doubleclick.