WebProNews

It's not hard to imagine Google and the EU as an out-of-shape individual and a tough personal trainer.  Since Google decided to hold onto personally identifiable search data for nine months instead of 18, the European entity is praising its progress, but at the same time, pushing for even more of a reduction.

 Jacques Barrot

Jacques Barrot, the EU's Justice Commissioner, "considers this move towards compliance with European privacy principles and EU data protection laws as a good step in the right direction," according to the AFP.

He "attaches special significance to Google's newly introduced policy of informing its users about its privacy policies in a transparent, easily understood manner," as well.

Getting Google down to a six-month retention period is the EU's ultimate goal, however, so we probably haven't seen the end of critical comments and possible fines and lawsuits.  And since Google's long claimed that search data contributes to its technical innovations, and has also, to be fair, done well in terms of not sharing the data with (or losing it to) outside sources, we may see some spirited responses from its side.

Google's stock, meanwhile, seems to be heading up for the first time in about a week.