Three months of detailed search data aggregated by AOL for roughly 657,000 of its 20+ million users were found distributed on the internet. AOL claims that it only stores one month of search data on its users but the roughly 657,000 records dating back to three months were part of a special group used by its internal researchers to enhance AOL's search algorithms.
AOL promptly issued apologies and is trying to salvage the situation, but the data is already circulating the internet and despite AOL's system of maintaining anonymity, assigning a number instead of using the users' names, the veil of privacy has been penetrated.In one prime example highlighted by the New York Times, user No. 4417749 was readily identified to be 62-year old Thelma Arnold of Lilburn Georgia.
This incident has drawn much attention as it is a realization of the fears and concerns voiced by many Internet Privacy and Internet Rights activists who contend that data aggregated by search providers in particular violates the privacy and many of the rights internet users expect to have.
The controversy over internet users' privacy and rights surfaced earlier this year when the Justice department subpoenaed Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, and AOL, among others, for aggregated search data to use in building cases towards limiting/monitoring/preventing improper/illegal usage by minors. While the premises of the Justice Department's cases are beyond the scope of this article the case earlier this year saw Privacy Rights activists including the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) rally around Google.
Though whether Google refused to share its data because of an interest in user privacy or protection of its own is questionable. Part of Google's argument against sharing the data was that it would expose its trade secrets (ie. search algorithms).
In both the Google vs Justice Department incident and the current AOL debacle, we see that the aggregation of data stems around the respective search portals' core business, that of search and enhancing their proprietary algorithms. Viewed in this light, it is unlikely that any of the major search players will, or can afford to, cease collecting data.
Of course enhancing search algorithms is only the tip of the iceberg, as applications for targeted marketing, social research, legal action, and almost limitless other uses exist; many of which are certainly lucrative to the possessor of such data.
Though whether Google refused to share its data because of an interest in user privacy or protection of its own is questionable. Part of Google's argument against sharing the data was that it would expose its trade secrets (ie. search algorithms).
In both the Google vs Justice Department incident and the current AOL debacle, we see that the aggregation of data stems around the respective search portals' core business, that of search and enhancing their proprietary algorithms. Viewed in this light, it is unlikely that any of the major search players will, or can afford to, cease collecting data.
Of course enhancing search algorithms is only the tip of the iceberg, as applications for targeted marketing, social research, legal action, and almost limitless other uses exist; many of which are certainly lucrative to the possessor of such data.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-09-2006 @ 11:22AM
unknown fool said...
now AOL is selling access to all AOL uploaded videos I noticed in a popup ad yesterday.I hope I will not be seeing yours onlike next/sheesh AOL IS BIG BROTHER ON STERTOIDS ~~~~
8-09-2006 @ 4:25PM
Robert E.G. Beens said...
To: Howard Tsung
Dear Howard,
Reading your article "AOL drops the ball on user privacy", I thought the next information may be of interest to you:
Individual privacy concerns when using search engines are a major legal and social issue these days.
In light of this, Ixquick.com has become the first search engine to stop recording the privacy details of its users.
Its decision represents a major milestone for both consumers and citizens with an interest in technology and freedom.
Some background information:
-Metasearch engine Ixquick.com (www.ixquick.com) was developed in 1998 in NY, and offers a simultaneous search in 11 of the main US search engines.
-Using Ixquick .com will give the user more relevant results because commercial manipulation of single engines is "weighted out".
-Ixquick.com will not share the users IP address with any of these individual search engines.
-Ixquick will delete the IP addresses of the users. In fact we have a program running which opens the log files, deletes the user related IP addresses and overwrites the "old" logfile. Also we took away the unique ID out of our Cookies, the Cookie is only used for remembering the settings on the user's PC. We even overwrite the "old" Cookie if a user has one on his PC from before this privacy initiative.
-Conclusion: This enables our user to search in the best search engines without their privacy data being stored.
We took this initiative in June, way before the AOL Privacy breach.
Attached is our press release.
Please feel free to use the information provided for publication you may feel fit,
or let me know if you would like additional information
Sincerely,
Robert Beens
CEO Ixquick.com
Surfboard Holding BV
Jansweg 42k 2011 KN Haarlem
The Netherlands.
+31-23-5325888 office
robert@ixquick.com
____________________________
First search engine to stop recording privacy details
Ixquick.com eliminates 'Big Brother'
As personal privacy concerns create growing alarm about the freedom of the Internet, the Ixquick metasearch engine (www.ixquick.com) has taken a pioneering step: starting today, Ixquick will permanently delete all personal search details gleaned from its users from the log files.
"This new feature of our search engine ensures both optimal privacy protection and maximum search performance for our customers, since they will be able to search using the 11 best search engines without their personal data being recorded," says Ixquick spokesman Alex van Eesteren.
As digital technology increasingly pervades our world, more and more personal details are being stored electronically, many of them by search engines. While you are searching the internet, these engines register the time of your searches, the terms you used, the sites you visited and your IP address. In many cases this IP address makes it possible to trace the computer, and in turn the household, that carried out the search.
These personal details are often retained for long periods by search engines and are of interest to commercial parties, governments and even criminals.
"Many search engines openly use this data for commercial purposes. It seems only to be a question of time before the data gets misused," alleges Van Eesteren. "Therefore we have decided to permanently delete all personal search records. If the data is not stored, users privacy can’t be breached".
Ixquick's Meta Search feature enables the user to simultaneously search 11 of the best search engines. However, Ixquick does not share the user's personal data with these individual search engines in any circumstances. In addition, as of this week, Ixquick will delete the users' IP addresses and 'unique user IDs' from its own 'Log Files'.
"Therefore, any user can use Ixquick.com to search in a combination of the best search engines secure in the knowledge that they can enjoy complete protection of their privacy," continues Mr. van Eesteren.
For more information, please visit www.ixquick.com
*About Ixquick.com*
Ixquick is a global, award-winning Meta Search Engine developed in New York, combining 11 US search engines for each query, resulting in more relevant hits.
8-09-2006 @ 4:32PM
Jane said...
With all of AOL's layoffs that must be getting into some financial problems.
8-10-2006 @ 5:59AM
berkley c.mills said...
...i blame the terrorist ,,for all of this,,they couldnt invade us and take our consitution from us,,,so now they have forced our governments to do it for them in the name of national security,,,bcm