Skip to Content

Submit your nominations for the Luxist Awards' Best in Decor
AOL Tech

user data posts

Filed under: Security, News, Microsoft, Search

Anonymity sweeps the internet: Microsoft jumps on the bandwagon

AnonymousAsk is doing it, Google's doing it, so of course Microsoft doesn't want to be left out of this new privacy sensation that's sweeping the nation. Of course, while Google announced a policy to limit how long it holds onto personally identifiable search data and Ask launched a service to let users delete their private data immediately after a search, Microsoft is calling for a new set of standards. No firm announcements of a new privacy policy here.

But it's not a bad idea. Microsoft and Ask have issued a joint call to develop a global privacy standard for data collection, use, and protection. They're looking to start a dialog with other industry leaders to develop privacy principles that protect users while making use of anonymous data to improve online search and advertising services.

While the press release has an altruistic tone, it also comes at a time when the European Union is pressuring Microsoft to change its privacy policy.

[via The Technology Free Press]

Filed under: Business, Internet, Web services, Google

How to use Google Analytics

If you've got a web site or blog, you're probably using a statistics tracking service like StatCounter, SiteMeter or Google Analytics. Without a doubt, Google Analytics is the most comprehensive system around for tracking and analyzing visitor data for your website. But there are so many bells and whistles that it can be a bit intimidating.

Nonprofit consultant Beth Kantor has put together a great primer on Google Analytics. It's intended for nonprofits, but it's useful for anyone struggling to make sense of all the graphs and charts in Google Analytics.



If you already understand the value of an web analytics package, we'd recommend skipping ahead to the 2 minute mark, where Kantor begins to explain the five steps you should take before setting up your account.

Filed under: Internet, Security, News, Web services, Google

Google takes baby step to protect your privacy

Got data? Google does. When you search the web using any search engine, you probably know that the search terms you use are archived -- possibly for an incredibly long amount of time -- and sometimes it's not as safe as you'd think.

Google announced late last night that your search data will soon sit idle for a much shorter period of time, theoreticly protecting it more from the prying eyes of potential hackers, lawsuits and subpoenas. In aid of compliance with EU rules on privacy, Google's new policy will see them retain personalized search history data for 18-24 months, and as they claim, makes them the "first leading company to publish a data retention policy".

While we're not sure they're the first, it is nice to see the monolithic and often mysterious Google come forward and display a bit of transparency on a subject that's near and dear to us as avid search users. While we'd prefer that everyone's search data disappear into the ether just as quickly as it once came -- giving you the user ultimate control over your level of privacy -- this is an important step and one that rival search providers will most likely follow. Who knows, maybe we'll start a privacy war and the length of saved search history will drop to nil. Not bloody likely, eh?

Featured Time Waster

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

View more Time Wasters

Featured Galleries

Defective by Design, London: Protest Pictures
Microsoft Security Essentials
Chromium Pre-Alpha on CrunchBang Linux
Safari 4 Beta
10 Firefox themes that don't suck
IE8 RC1
Download Squad at the Crunchies After-Party
Download Squad at the Crunchies
WordPress 2.7
Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals
Windows 7 Hands On
Comodo Internet Security
Android First-look: Amazon.com MP3 Store
Android First-look: Twitroid
Google Reader Android
Android Hands-On
Twine 1.0
Photoshop Express Beta
Mozilla Birthday Cake
Palm stuff
Adobe Lightroom 1.1

 


Follow us on Twitter!

Flickr Pool

www.flickr.com

More Tech Coverage

AOL Radio

Joystiq

TUAW

Daily Finance

Autoblog

Urlesque

Engadget

WoW

Switched.com

FanHouse