EU to review Microsoft’s new terms of use

The European Union’s privacy watchdog has announced it will review Microsoft’s new services agreement, in a similar investigation to one carried out on Google’s new policies earlier this year.

Microsoft updated its service agreement, or terms of use, in October, allowing it to collect data on how free services such as Hotmail webmail, Windows Live instant messaging and Bing search were being used by consumers. “Given the wide range of services you offer, and popularity of these services, changes in your Services Agreement and the linked Privacy Policy may affect many individuals in most or all of the EU member states,” said the Article 29 Data Protection Working Party – the EU privacy watchdog – in a letter to Microsoft.