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AOL Apologizes For Release Of User Search Data

news.com.com — Search-log information originally intended for use on new research site; company calls data posting a mistake.

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  • insomniac8400, on 10/12/2007, -1/+84What idiots. They probably were all excited thinking this would make them cooler than google. AOL is stupid. I hope AOL gets sued over this.
    • Tiabin, on 10/12/2007, -9/+37I can see it now.
      A bunch of executives gathered around a table at a meeting... the person giving the proposal finishes off, and the big wig looks at him for a moment.
      And then says in a hesitant but seriously considering voice, "So... you think... this will make us COOLER than google?"
      Another executive pipes up, "It's about time! We need more cool points."
    • snypa, on 10/12/2007, -3/+39Now they should apologize for mearly existing. A man can only dream.
    • apocalizer, on 10/12/2007, -5/+21AOL PR:
      I know! Let's do something stupid, and it'll end up on Digg. Then all the geeks will want AOL because they saw it on Digg!

      AOL EXEC:
      Brilliant! Do it now!

      AOL PR INTERN:
      Uh, that's an awfully half-assed solution, Sir. Are you trying to kill the company with a scandal?

      AOL PR:
      Shut up. The boss is off of my ass for another day, get back to work.

      ----
      If this is just some attempt at using a blunder to get attention (ala New Coke) they must be smokin' dope.
    • i440, on 10/12/2007, -0/+34What nonsense. I hope they will all give us 90-day free trail software in exchange for this absurdity!
    • gd007, on 10/12/2007, -8/+2seems like a stunt!
    • bgoodknight, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9lolol
      Jesus, people are really F'd up...

      http://jwpincorporated.com/aolscreen.JPG
    • gcnaddict, on 10/12/2007, -14/+2"What nonsense. I hope they will all give us 90-day free trail software in exchange for this absurdity!"

      Why? AOL's software was rejected by the IT technicians working for satan himself. Why the ***** would you want a 90 day trial of AOL software if even the devil has AOL on an exclusion list?
    • Buttercup, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4it seems to me like AOL did have good intentions... they wanted to give a bunch of data to research analysts for free to do those things research people do... the only problem is that they made it readily available to anyone with an internet connection instead of picking and choosing who should get the data. if they had some kind of "hey i want this, can i have it?" program where they only gave it to valid research orginizations, it wouldn't be nearly as bad. especially if they filtered out searches with things like numbers that look like SSNs and credit card #s.
      i know there are a couple situations i've been in where i would have liked to study search patterns about a certain item.

      good intentions, very very bad implementation
    • ed.2112, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7@gcnaddict: Next time you see a dictionary look up sarcasm.
    • kubudubudubuntu, on 10/12/2007, -8/+1delete
    • voteforblank, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3It's too late for I'm sorry's...
    • gd007, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1re:bgoodknight - hilarious!
    • candiru, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2i think this "cool" pitch went off just a little worse than wal-mart's myspace.
  • bpinard, on 10/12/2007, -3/+15Hey AOL: BS.
  • Popdmb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+66AOL -- the only company that violates their own terms of service.
    • lakawak, on 10/12/2007, -25/+3Regardless of how you feel about it, it did not violate any terms of service
    • jramos, on 10/12/2007, -2/+19Regardless of whether this violated any terms of service, AOL is finished.
    • rushoffailure, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I wonder if they'll block themselves for not being in their own feedback loop
  • n8r0n, on 10/12/2007, -2/+53I am sure the guy who was trying to kill his wife is not accepting this apology.
    • Sukino, on 10/12/2007, -0/+14I can imagine him being imprisoned, stamping car plates that say RIP AOL; DIE AOL; IH8 AOL...
    • Yashu, on 10/12/2007, -11/+4it is not illegal to search for something... he could have a weird fetish, or be researching a short story... it doesn't matter, since it is not illegal to search for something.
    • Buttercup, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3yes... just like its not illigal to look into what it would take to blow up the sears tower... oh wait!
    • tangledweb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2The high school teacher who looks like a pedophile probably needs a personal apology too.
      http://lukewelling.com/2006/08/07/the-utter-stupidity-of-aol-is-staggering/
  • striker1211, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7I dont know ***** about *****, but even i would have did a regex replace of [0-9][0-9][0-9]-[0-9][0-9]-[0-9][0-9][0-9][0-9] for social security numbers. Throw those logs up and search that expression, its fun.
    • quokkapox, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Ok kids let's optimize the regexp:

      ddd-dd-dddd

      Seriously... AOL is *****.
  • visability, on 10/12/2007, -3/+31user01.txt:16446009 how do i quit aol immediately 2006-03-22 20:17:01 7 http://www.infodog.com
    user01.txt:16446009 how do i quit aol immediately 2006-03-22 20:31:23
    user01.txt:16446009 how do i quit aol immediately 2006-03-22 20:35:39

    taken from their logs
  • davdav, on 10/12/2007, -18/+5Bought a Mac Pro with stolen credit card numbers! Yowza!
  • sulaco, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15Somebody at AOL is going to be flipping burgers pretty soon.
    • venir, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7You mean other than their Customer Retention Specialists?
    • jackcall, on 10/12/2007, -0/+17What? Are they gonna have a company BBQ?
    • Sukino, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4As usually, somebody not responsible.
    • woxidu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11"What? Are they gonna have a company BBQ?"

      Now there's one company I'd like to BBQ.
  • coheedcollapse, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7So.....who has the backup? As against the release of private information as I am, my human curiosity has the best of me.
  • AndySomnifac, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Looks like someone will be seeking new employment opportunities after this one.
  • egbert, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Are they going to be fined for release peoples personal information such as credit card numbers and social security numbers?
    • KJay, on 10/12/2007, -6/+16If you searched for your own SS and credit card #s on AOL, you deserve to have your identity stolen, maybe the new owner will be more responsible with it.
    • Dayz, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2@KJay

      agreed lol
    • theprizefight, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11@Kjay and dayz: I have searched my SSN and Credit Card numbers (on Google, mind you) to see if they're catalogued anywhere online. I think it's pretty legitimate to search your own personal information to see if it turns up anywhere. Your own security in an online search query should not be in danger (though in AOL's case, it now is).
    • KJay, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1For sake, I hope you at LEAST use Google with SSL (via https). I fear when your info. does turn up in a search, it will be your own doing.

      Besides, everyone knows the juicy stuff is more likely to turn up in irc logs...
    • woxidu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1@theprizefight
      Agreed and disagreed.
      - I should be able to search for my SSN/CC# without the threat of ID theft because of the reasons you mentioned.
      - I should not need to trust my ISP in order to do so safely.

      The only way to get the best of both worlds, I think, is to use something like Tor or just SSL'd search queries.The former sounds paranoid. The latter sounds reasonable.
    • scooter12, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The problem with this is what if someone else searches your name with social? In this data there are obviously people looking for other people with their name and socials (sometimes including driver's license #)
  • markus941, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3You've got murder!
    http://www.bignewstoday.com/web-crap/aol-opens-up-pandoras-box-leaks-private-data/

    This looks like a massive lawsuit waiting to happen. Hopefully people will start caring about their privacy a little more now that AOL has given their personal data away to anyone who wants it.
  • josegutz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12News Flash: AOL decides to send all of it's users free complimentary AOL software in apology for releasing User Search Data.
  • anon52, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I suggest that AOK-Time Warner immediately contract with the DoD staff that issue the "We're investigating this incident" department. Make it a state secret, talk about a few rotten apples, delay, obfuscate, and wait until the next AOK disaster comes along to cover this one up with more *****. "Until then, we don't want to comment on that matter."
  • LucasVB, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Well, it's too late now, isn't it?

    AOL's been tripping on their own feet quite badly these last months. How long until it finally falls to the ground?
  • vandread, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Another reason to NOT be an AOL user.
  • bntphoretwunny, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1i work as a customer service rep for a bank, and aol has been the SINGLE largest cause of disputes that i have seen in my year on the job. they should just be shut down, and their money distributed to all of those who have had to feel their wrath. thank god that nobody i know has ever used their "service".
  • HarryBauzonia, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15They apologized. Well that makes it all better now.
    Group hug!!!
  • josegutz, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7This would be an oppertune moment for the Cavemen guys from Geico to do a few commercials with AOL.

    Steve Case: Seriously guys, we had no idea that you would mind us releasing this type of info...
    Caveman1: (Shakes head in dissapointment) Sssssighh next time try doing a little research.
    Caveman2: Pathetic (spits at Steve Case)
    Caveman1: I'll have a dozen King Lobster with a 20 oz sirloin steak, and your finest Pinot Grigio please...
    Caveman2: I'll have the same, and ... Oh by the way...(points at Steve case) Steve here is picking up the bill.
    Caveman1: Who's the bitch now?
    Caveman2: That's how we rrolll..

  • Vlatro, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1"It's reasonably easy for people to see what their neighbors are searching for, since most people usually google themselves," said Rebecca Jeschke, a spokeswoman for the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

    I was under the impression that AOL gave the search logs from their search engines, not google searches.

    And what rational person actually searches for them self online. Not only that, but to do it regularly as the statement implies.
    • buckrogers1965, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Google is a verb, it means to look something up on-line.
  • UrlorJkron, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0"It's reasonably easy for people to see what their neighbors are searching for, since most people usually google themselves"

    So googling covers all search engines now?

    Vlatro posted pactically as I did.
    • TheTony, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Google has become ubiquitous and in doing so, become a verb for "Internet search". To see people using the word in this way isn't anything new or suprising. However, the irony of the quote in a published article about AOL's search is obvious. :)
  • FrankieB078, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3To be honest the damage has been done already. They should have known this was a bad idea before it was executed. But I think we're all used to AOL making bad decisions.
  • DavidDigg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1AOL is pretty much doing the right thing in terms of crisis management. Of course it is still a wild invasion of privacy... I'm sure the lawyers for privacy rights groups are salivating now, and in this case, I'm on their side --- what AOL did was horrible.

    I think the Harvard Business Review did a piece on crisis management --- the bay of pigs is another good example of a fiasco handled in the best possible manner.

    In short, crisis management is "We screwed up. We're sorry. This goes against our principles. We're doing an internal investigation." the fascinating thing is that a whole bunch of companies completely screw up crisis management after the initial screw up. Remember the Intel floating point debacle?
  • Sukino, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1After you burn $200 billion, you cannot really see anything else as a ***** up.
    http://www.digg.com/business_finance/AOL_founder_says_he_is_sorry_for_Time_Warner_merger_2
  • dattaway, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1AOL made a stunning introduction on the first week it connected its users to the internet. The first month they encouraged their users to bomb alt.best.of.usenet with a bug in their news client that posted each message SEVEN TIMES. Remember Steve Case, who was so proud of AOL doing this? About that time C&S "carpet bombed" the newsgroups with their famous green card lottery.

    Now AOL is leaving in a ball of flames. Just as dramatic as they entered.
  • Sturmwind72, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0I guess since they apologized everything is ok.

    Following AOL's example, Tobacco companies apologize for lung cancer and ask for the lawsuits to stop.
  • tinkafoo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3See, they're sorry.. That makes it all better now! I guess we can all go back to bed, right? [/extreme sarcasm]
  • janspambox, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I hope some of the people responsible for this go to prison for 1 minute




    ...for each released search record.
    Thats what they would deserve in my opinion.
  • neonplankton, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Here's a hint, AOL. Google just went to court saying that they'd rather lose a right arm than give up user information that was LESS invasive than what you posted. When other companies are willing to lay it all on the line to NOT do what you just did, you might want to at least run it by your lawyers first.

    AOL reminds me of they weird party guest who does something stupid, and then while trying to right the situation, keeps doing more stupid things. It's almost amusing at this point to see how many nails AOL can put in its coffin in a short amount of time.

    What's next, AOL; running your customers over with a tire when they try to pump gas?

  • wicketr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2While I think it's retarded to release the data, the problem I have is why do they even have that data to begin with???? Do they have a right to track what I'm doing over long periods of time? If so is it stated in their policies somewhere?

    Basically they screwed up twice:
    1. Storing information they have no business storing
    2. Releasing it to the public

    Had they not been doing 1 in the first place, then none of this would have happened.
    • kubudubudubuntu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1They need the data for statistics to make their search engine better.
  • blackdiamond555, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1This is why people give 1,000 free pizzas to google and not AOL. PR nightmare after PR nightmare, first the infamous phone call, now this. I'm still amazed aol has made it as far as it has

    incase you missed the story
    http://www.digg.com/tech_news/Company_Gives_Back_To_Google_By_Serving_Up_1000_Free_Pizzas_to_Google
  • wurzelgummage, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"The data applied only to U.S. searches by AOL subscribers using the company's client software."

    Looks like I dodged a bullet regarding that furry porn.
  • kubudubudubuntu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It could all be a set up, all the info they have there fake or recently made to make it credible etc, and they got all the attention they need..

    Im sorry but i do not feel sorry for them, they are in the search engine business, they know these things about people basically talking to search engines, and that some type passwords etc. they should have taking great measures of protecting their users integrity.

    Most people dont even know what a log is or such, and now they have to pay for it with their password and accounts released out in the public by AOL.. =/
    • kayakto, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1i just realised something... i once typed all my passwords to google to see if they're popular...
    • dawgma, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@kayakto

      You can delete items from your Google search history.

      Login to your Personalized Search Account. Retype the passwords that you googled... and when you have your list of results, click "Remove items."
  • jferraro, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I don't think AOL would have gotten lambasted so did they not have such a great record of producing poor quality products and taking advantage of people's ignorance of the Internet rather than assisting in education. I don't know how many people back in the 90's told me that it took 40 minutes for them to download the Internet through AOL, a unfortunate depiction of ignorance that AOL perpetuates though ad campaigns (want a better Internet) to this day. It may seem that people are being hard on AOL while other companies have released search information in the past, but due to AOL's company image and behavior since the beginning I say they deserve it.
  • Ugoff, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I smell BS. I'm glad I left AOL a long time ago. They treat their customers like dirt and yet they don't know why they loose so many customers every day.

    Apparently, my dad like many of you had a hell of a time leaving AOL. Luckily, they canceled the first time he called and we didn't get any additional bills. I'm just glad DSL came to our area a few years go.
  • xsuite, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1does any one have this in a text page on a site (nothing to Download?) please, thanx
  • mattmollysdad, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0oops...sorry dear. :)
  • Mantarii, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Apologize to user #1646343. [Go ahead, look it up. It is all in there.]
    HER SEARCHES OVER THE MONTHS: (abbreviated list)

    transforming males into females
    herbal male castration
    is it rare for males wanting to grow breasts
    how can males develop female nipples
    how can men grow breasts
    men who breast pump
    pictures of men breast pumping
    women who force their husbands to grow breasts
    how to hide male breasts
    how to shrink your husbands testicles
    how to increase estrogen level in males
    how to change a man into a woman
    secretly giving estrogen to husband
    breast cream for men
    will drinking female urine cause male breast growth
    men drinking female urine side effects
    estrogen in urine
    male to female drinking female urine
    can drinking womens urine help male to female
    men who are proud of their large breasts
    male breast contest
    how large can male breasts grow
    pictures of castrated males
    women who feminize males
    • megabyte405, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0It's really great that you are so sensitive and welcoming to those who don't fit into your worldview.


      That was sarcasm. Not everybody is like you - an important lesson to learn.
  • voteforblank, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1And you forgot....
    Women who need to be feminized by drinking their own urine! BeeOtch' She Man!
  • jcims, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Search for your home town.

    I live in a small midwest town in Ohio. Halfway through the very first file i open up i find someone going through some pretty troubling times, searching for local names, etc.

    In other news, anyone notice how many folks search for things by typing www.whatever, eg. www.how to plant tomatos?

    Anyway, interesting insight into peoples minds...
    • Toiling, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2The insight is the realization that no one knows how to use a comp.
    • blackdiamond555, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0yea, I search for all "myspace" refences in the first log, there were dozens of searches for "myspace.com" If you're gonna put the .com why not just put it in the url bar 1 inch above the search window?
  • tsuroki, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2AOL PR Dept. addressing the general public: Oopsies. We sowwy. :(
  • jcims, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4how spell checkers save lives:

    28125 sex perdiers in my neborhed 2006-03-08 19:48:37
  • endlessthinker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2This is the biggest mistake since Waterworld.
  • wavesmash, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1What's the difference between this and releasing the Enron emails or using Metaspy?

    http://www.metacrawler.com/perl/metaspy

    On a related note, is it me, or is metaspy not working right now?
  • Mantarii, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2UserID #1077807. Look at what this family searches for...

    teenage depression
    oxfordhealthplans.com
    oxford health plans
    continental airlines
    50th wedding anniversary invitations
    teenage depression
    franklin township soccer club
    franklin township soccer club somerset new jersey
    oxford health plans teen depression
    oxford health plans
    disney porn
    free disney porn
    oxford health plans
    free disney animated pictures
    will rogers teen depression
    will rogers institute
    will rogers institute teen depression
    will rogers institute teen anxiety
    new jersey lottery
    nj state lottery
    old priest and virgin
    comics priest sex
    porn
    comixxx
    1st holy communion invitation
    weight watchers
    dollzmania
    bricklayers and allied craftsmen local 15 new jersey
    new jersey bricklayers and allied craftsmen local 15 new jersey
    new jersey mason unions
    bricklayers & allied craftsmen local 15
    franklin township soccer club new jersey
    franklin township soccer club somerset
    sex in the doctors office
    dirty old doctor comics
    dirty old doctor free comics
    continental airlines
    positive persistent parent-teachers
    on the boat
    doing it on the boat
    comic strips
    free comic strips
    free adult comic strips
    man and lamb
    farmer and his lamb
    gay farmers and his lamb
    1st holy communion thank you cards
    bishop ahr high school
    priests and sex
    priests and virgin
    comics of priests and sex
    truck stops
    sex at the truck stops
    sex at the truck stops comics
    sexy comics
    shrek xxx
    shrek sex comics
    free famous sex comics
    gays and animals
    gay men and animals
    glenn crooks womens soccer camp
    glenn crooks girls soccer camp
  • sonic921, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1AOL should just file chapter 11 and get it over with... Who still uses them anyway, they suck... At least Google put up a fight... AOL just rolled over with it's tongue wagging
  • comrad, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Some of these searches are funny as hell...

    AOL... Thanks!
  • gordonfreeman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0http://thepiratebay.org/details.php?id=3510326

    muahahahahahahahahahahahahahaa
  • brandiT, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0A site where you can search the data is here:

    http://www.datablunder.com
  • monotest, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0A more in depth tool to look at AOL data
    http://www.decenttools.com/aol/

    Let's say if you make a search for http://www.decenttools.com/aol/viagra, besides related keywords and unique referrer count, it shows the stats of average top clicked position on search results as well as the website which got most traffic from the query.

    Stats section of the tool provides an in depth analysis of AOL search data on different aspects, like most clicked position, query length, top keywords etc
    http://www.decenttools.com/aol/stats/

    If you don't care about marketing stuff you could visit TOP weirdest users section
    http://www.decenttools.com/aol/best-of/
  •  

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