9,082
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 81:
Line 81: − + + + +
→Search Data Scandal
===Search Data Scandal===
===Search Data Scandal===
AOL faced another class action law suit in 2006. The complainants alleged that the company conducted violations of privacy, false advertising and unjust enrichment by releasing 20 million search records from approximately 658, 000 members for a period of three months. AOL's action allowed anyone to see what each person is searching including their sensitive information such as credit card, telephone and social security numbers. AOL Search Data Release became a privacy scandal and the company's Chief Technology Officer resigned immediately. In addition,the company took steps to improve their privacy policy.<ref>
AOL faced another class action law suit in 2006. The complainants alleged that the company conducted violations of privacy, false advertising and unjust enrichment by releasing 20 million search records from approximately 658, 000 members for a period of three months. AOL's action allowed anyone to see what each person is searching including their sensitive information such as credit card, telephone and social security numbers. AOL Search Data Release became a privacy scandal and the company's Chief Technology Officer resigned immediately. In addition,the company took steps to improve their privacy policy.<ref>
[http://www.pcworld.com/article/127265/aol_members_sue_over_search_data_release.html AOL Members Sue Over Search Data Release]</ref>
[http://www.pcworld.com/article/127265/aol_members_sue_over_search_data_release.html AOL Members Sue Over Search Data Release]</ref> The company apologized to the public through a statement:<ref>[http://news.cnet.com/AOL-apologizes-for-release-of-user-search-data/2100-1030_3-6102793.html?tag=mncol;txt AOL apologizes for release of user search data]</ref>
''"This was a screw-up, and we're angry and upset about it. It was an innocent enough attempt to reach out to the academic community with new research tools, but it was obviously not appropriately vetted, and if it had been, it would have been stopped in an instant.Although there was no personally identifiable data linked to these accounts, we're absolutely not defending this. It was a mistake, and we apologize. We've launched an internal investigation into what happened, and we are taking steps to ensure that this type of thing never happens again."''
The [[Center for Democracy and Technology|CDT]] reacted on AOL's Search Data Release and expressed that it was a major privacy concern but they are relieved that AOL was serious in taking the necessary steps to resolve the issue. According to CDT, ''"Companies that deal in search results have to understand that they carry very sensitive information, even if it doesn't have what we would traditionally consider to be personally identifiable information involved."''<ref>[http://news.cnet.com/AOL-apologizes-for-release-of-user-search-data/2100-1030_3-6102793.html?tag=mncol;txt AOL apologizes for release of user search data]</ref>
==References==
==References==