Yahoo Will Keep Searchers' Info Only 3 Months

Companies will first have to agree not to track you

(NEWSER) - If you don’t like the idea of online companies tracking your every move , you may want to start using Firefox. Mozilla announced its Web browser will be the first to answer the FTC’s call for a do-not-track system , the Wall Street Journal reports. Just one problem: In order for the browser's do-not-track feature to actually protect your privacy, tracking companies must first agree to stop monitoring users who have enabled the feature (its default setting will be "off")—and so far, no companies have announced they would do so. More»

(NEWSER) - Wondering what the Microsoft/Yahoo pact will mean for you, the tech-loving consumer? Probably not much, writes Todd Weiss for PC World. His reasons:

• “I tried Bing, I played with Bing, I experienced Bing, but Bing, you’re no Google search,” Weiss opines. Even with Yahoo’s help, and even with its interesting features, Bing isn’t going to change the habits of the Google-loving masses.

No. 5 search engine says it will erase info within hours

(NEWSER) - Aiming to establish itself as an innovator, Ask.com is allowing users to have their search requests deleted within hours, the AP reports. The fifth-most-popular search engine with just 3% market share, Ask.com is taking a huge leap toward being the web’s least intrusive search option. "We definitely want to stand out from the other guys," says a senior VP. More»

Sites, government still have some work to do, study finds

(NEWSER) - Search engines are beginning to take user privacy more seriously, but stronger federal privacy legislation is still necessary, a new study says. In the online marketplace, privacy policies have become competitive factors, with sites one-upping each other to make surfers feel that they're safe and have control over their personal info, says the report by a prominent advocacy group. More»

FTC investigates breach of Safari browser settings

(NEWSER) - Last month, it emerged that Google was skirting privacy settings on Apple's Safari browser; now federal, state, and European Union officials are investigating the since-halted practice, which centers on the installation of tracking files. Google faces a $16,000 fine per violation per day—which could add up to quite a lot, given that millions were hit with the cookies—in a case that could go on for years, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»