Microsoft publishes privacy rules

Microsoft this week made available a document for developers detailing how to create software and services that take into account user privacy. Microsoft first said it would release the "Privacy Guidelines for Developing Software Products and Services" in August, but the document was delayed because of consultation with privacy experts, the company said.

The document offers a look behind the scenes at Microsoft and is meant to give the industry an example of what the software giant sees as best practices in customer privacy, said Peter Cullen, the chief privacy strategist at Microsoft. "This is a set of guidelines that all application providers can use to create trusted computing experience for their users," he said.