Why did AOL publicly release private search data of 658,000 users?

  • Thread starter Rach3
  • Start date
In summary, AOL removed a list of web search inquiries from a public website after receiving complaints about its detailed and personal nature. The company issued an apology, stating it was a violation of internal policies. The New York Times also published an article revealing how journalists were able to abuse the leaked search terms. Additionally, AOL's reputation as a dialup ISP from the 90's was brought up, along with a website dedicated to searching the leaked data.
  • #1
Rach3
Interesting how private information always gets into accidents nowadays.
AOL removed a list of the Web search inquiries of 658,000 unnamed users from a public Web site over the weekend, after bloggers complained that the information was so detailed and personal that it could compromise the users’ privacy.

AOL said the publication of the data was a violation of internal policies and issued a strongly worded apology.

“This was a screw-up, and we’re angry and upset about it,” a statement from the company said. “It was a mistake, and we apologize.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/08/b...&en=f8ca23c604bf5d54&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Quite right. I don't want the general public to know tidbits like that I googled for the town of "Liberal, Kansas". That kind of thing is privileged to myself alone, and Google, and the good folks over at the shadow agency.
 
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  • #2
By the way, does anyone still remember what AOL is? It was the really bad dialup ISP from back in the 90's, they survivied by mailing billions of 'free' cd's in the post. They were mainly used as coasters for beverages.
 
  • #3
AOL screws up
What a surprise :rolleyes:
 
  • #6
what about the favourite expansion of A-O-L:

a'hole on line, anyone?
 

1. Why did AOL release the private search data of 658,000 users?

AOL released the private search data as part of a research project aimed at improving their search engine. They wanted to analyze the search behavior of their users in order to provide more relevant search results.

2. Was the release of the private search data legal?

Technically, the release of the data was legal as the users had agreed to the terms and conditions that allowed AOL to share their search data for research purposes. However, it raised concerns about privacy and sparked a debate about the ethical implications of such data sharing.

3. How did the public react to the release of the private search data?

The public reacted with outrage and concern over the breach of privacy. Many criticized AOL for not taking proper precautions to anonymize the data before releasing it, which could potentially expose sensitive information about the users.

4. What were the consequences of AOL's release of the private search data?

The release of the private search data resulted in a major backlash for AOL. They faced legal action and were heavily criticized by privacy advocates and the general public. It also led to a loss of trust in their search engine and damaged their reputation.

5. What measures were taken by AOL after the release of the private search data?

AOL faced significant pressure to address the situation and take steps to protect their users' privacy. As a result, they issued an apology, deleted the search data, and implemented stricter privacy policies to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.

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