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AOL Releases Search Logs of 657,427 Users

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the give-or-take dept.

An anonymous reader writes "AOL has released the search logs of over 650,000 users for research purposes. This looks like it may become a public relations disaster for AOL, as well as a privacy nightmare for the users involved as Michael Arrington of TechCrunch notes: "AOL has released very private data about its users without their permission. While the AOL username has been changed to a random ID number, the ability to analyze all searches by a single user will often lead people to easily determine who the user is, and what they are up to. The data includes personal names, addresses, social security numbers and everything else someone might type into a search box." This is also being covered on The Paradigm Shift and Oh My News." fantomas adds " Looks like they've just taken it down but it's still available on The Pirate Bay; not sure why but some of the academic researchers are going crazy musing the ethical aspects of letting the world know who's searching for how to kill their wives ..." Update: 08/07 21:32 GMT by T : amromousa writes "AOL is now apologizing for the release ..., calling it a "screw-up," which they're upset and angry about."

3 of 346 comments (clear)

  1. 14 download mirrors + BitTorrent link to the file by russiste · · Score: 5, Informative

    The file is available here:

    http://www.gregsadetsky.com/aol-data/

    There are 14 mirrors listed there. They have all been added after this first mirror went live less than 20 hours ago.

    I have already transferred 863Gb of data in that short period of time.

    --
    Loopsh of fury.
  2. Re:Just like the Bush Phone Tapping by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    so I don't really see the privacy issue

    Then you're an idiot. The info itself can contain private info, and being linked by ID makes it much easier. Imagine this set of searches:
    Susan Smith phone number
    britney spears
    Smallville high school
    shoe store near smallville
    Smallville abortion clinic
    dr. joe jones

    6 searches and already we can assume the user lives in smallville, is young, knows susan smith, and is looking for information on abortions.

    Now, if instead of 6, we had every search for a month or two. How much more information about this "anonymous" user do you think we could find?

  3. Re:Funniest thing so far by schwaang · · Score: 5, Informative
    Why were you ever under the delusion that aggrigate data about your searches would be kept private.


    Maybe because AOL's privacy policy says so? First because it defines Member Information to include:
    information about the searches you perform through the AOL Service and how you use the results of those searches;


    And then it says:
    AOL will only share your AOL Member information with third parties to provide products and services you have requested, or when we have your consent