Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity
    • Database
    • IT Management

    Data Privacy Caught in Crossfire

    By
    Eric Lundquist
    -
    January 30, 2006
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Whose data is it anyhow? The personal technology industry has been roiling of late with the news that Microsoft and Yahoo have agreed to provide some anonymous search data related to a Department of Justice subpoena, while Google is fighting the request.

      The issue highlights an emerging debate that will affect business as well.

      The earlier episode that presaged this issue was titled “The revenge of e-mail.”

      In that episode, corporate executives were surprised to learn that e-mails once thought to be private, and thought to be actually deleted when they were deleted, were neither private nor part of the digital netherworld.

      If you wanted to read the Enron e-mails related to the unbounded greed in which the company wallowed, you could head over to Salon.com.

      E-mail discovery was a part of the DOJs anti-monopoly trial against Microsoft and is now part of the proceedings of AMD versus Intel.

      The retention time for e-mail is spelled out in many corporate policies and government regulations and is often put into the same camp as retention policies for paper documentation.

      Regulations-induced spending—including for Sarbanes-Oxley financial disclosures, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)-related medical privacy measures and, increasingly, homeland defense requirements—has placed more demands on corporate IT budgets.

      Now, a new requirement is developing: Are you ready to keep track of your companys search requests?

      Google, which has wrapped itself in its corporate motto of “Dont be evil,” is hurtling head-on into a world of government-driven information requests and courthouse hearings.

      /zimages/7/28571.gifClick here to read more about Googles fight with the Department of Justice.

      Where the government leads, corporate lawyers are sure to follow. I dont think Im overreacting on this.

      Google has done an outstanding job of creating a search engine that is not only exhaustive but also long-lived.

      Your search history lives on, beyond your control, whether you want it to live on or not.

      And with the advent of Googles Gmail and Google Talk, your e-mail and VOIP (voice over IP) conversations also can live on endlessly.

      And where data resides—especially data that is already parsed and discoverable—will draw the attention of investigators from the public and private sectors.

      Connecting the data to real people is not all that difficult. I dont think Google included this prospect in its business plans.

      When Ive talked with CIOs and technology managers about their upcoming storage and regulatory requirements, Ive often heard about the need to store all e-mail messaging as required by corporate policies.

      Ive often heard about the need to build a plan to store and manage VOIP conversations, instant messaging and, eventually, video communications.

      I dont recall any conversations about managing and storing search inquiries.

      I also dont recall too many conversations about the issue of privacy as related to outside services such as Google, Salesforce.com and other providers.

      Who owns your data when your company uses a Web service? While you might own the data from a business point of view, what are the obligations of the Web services company when the government comes knocking? It is worth asking.

      What should you, as a corporate technology manager, do about the situation?

      You should realize that the current controversy with public search engines doesnt mean your company cannot be drawn into the debate.

      Just as you had to understand your e-mail flow and document flow, you should be aware of how public search engines are being used within your company.

      The current state of the government request for Google searches is narrow and designed to assure anonymity.

      The governments goal of forcefully addressing the scourge of pornography is admirable.

      The stance of Googles lawyers to question the governments right to request the information is a wise move to balance the governments right to know versus a citizens right to privacy.

      The clash of those competing rights will continue to reverberate throughout not only the public forums, but also in your companys boardroom.

      eWEEK magazine editor in chief Eric Lundquist can be reached at eric_lundquist@ziffdavis.com.

      /zimages/7/28571.gifCheck out eWEEK.coms for the latest database news, reviews and analysis.

      Eric Lundquist
      Since 1996, Eric Lundquist has been Editor in Chief of eWEEK, which includes domestic, international and online editions. As eWEEK's EIC, Lundquist oversees a staff of nearly 40 editors, reporters and Labs analysts covering product, services and companies in the high-technology community. He is a frequent speaker at industry gatherings and user events and sits on numerous advisory boards. Eric writes the popular weekly column, 'Up Front,' and he is a confidant of eWEEK's Spencer F. Katt gossip columnist.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×