AOL releases search records

[Andrew]

AOL for a short time released search records from its user base.

You can download them here. Download is 400mb.

Apparently torrent is up

http://www.mininova.org/tor/388815

For a quick rundown of the story, see fark comments at

http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=2216862

There are searches for how to kill a wife, and lots of wierd shit. Forgot to mention social security numbers and other personal info.

Sadly a lot of searches are Delete history search and how can i delete my history on aol etc. Good thing AOL released it!

Wish I had AOL so I could sue them for millions.

Anyone remember the "cancel account" fiasco?

Let's watch Time Warner stock tumble tomorrow (they own AOL).

[veK]

lol aol is so ridicolous...  Advanced Online Losers  ;D

btw. there's a german multigaming clan (mainly known back then for it's progaming counterstrike team) that's named that way. if I remember correctly they used the clantag AOL many many years ago before they changed it to a-losers. I guess AOL didn't like to see their name as a clantag for such a name on big cybergame-conventions and tournaments  ;D

[Andrew]

A Face Is Exposed for AOL Searcher No. 4417749

Someone has come forward that certain searches were hers. Proving the anonymous ID does not protect users.

She says she is going to try to cancel her AOL account. I'm sure AOL retention team will convince her otherwise by offering her some "special deals".

[veK]

if I lived over there and was one of the users I'd try to sue them. it's america.... the country where million dollars are "earned" by suing companies  ;D

[gunner154]

They were planning to release it for a short time period right from the start, and upon cancelling it, apologise, saying that it was "an unauthorized move by a team that had hoped it would benefit academic researchers"!?

How convenient.

[Vidi]

God AOL is a dumbarse,

Well at least we all now know that all AOL users are Pedophiles, perverts and sex obsessed 12 year olds (since the most searched was pr0n).  Thank god I don't use AOL.  Well now AOL is in it deep, lets hope that there asshat of an isp is consigned to the deepest depths of hell.

[Dunenewt]

Yey, the downfall of AOL.  Now maybe people will stop using AIM. :)