According to the LA Times, Twitter keeps logs of your “location, IP addresses, search terms, pages visited and also data from when you visit third-party websites with Twitter buttons on them” (emphasis mine). That’s a lot of detail. And Twitter makes it available to the police over 75% of the time the cops ask for it, without a subpoena.
Most of the information in Twitter’s logs is deleted within 18 months, but it keeps some (not sure which) information longer, including when law enforcement asks it to.
Bottom line: If you use social networks, be aware of the tradeoff in privacy that comes with them. Just by opening an account or logging in, you share a ton of information about who you are, where you are, and what you are doing. Make sure you are willing to share it before you sign up. [via Technologist]
