US firms in the dark over data retention.

US firms in the dark over data retention. Half of companies have no data retention policy. "A year after the launch of the revised Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP), more than 65 per cent of US businesses remain unprepared to meet strict court requirements for the discovery and handling of electronic evidence, new research claimed today. The revised rules set "aggressive timelines" for the discovery of electronic information such as email, and strict penalties for the destruction of evidence.  They also include 'safe harbour' provisions to protect organisations that implement standard retention policies for electronically stored information. The rules were drafted by the Supreme Court and approved by Congress and the US Judicial Conference, and have already had a profound effect on how the US legal system handles electronic evidence including emails and digital files. . . ."