The AOL user search queries data leaked on the internet were apparently posted by a technician who uploaded the data without vetting it through in-house privacy department, company spokesman Andrew Weinstein told WP.
data mining
![AOL Apologizes For Splooging Your Searches](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/aoprivacy1501.jpg?w=150&h=154&crop=1)
AOL Apologizes For Splooging Your Searches
A boon for search engine researches quickly tumbled into a privacy snafu as AOL released search query results for 650,000+ users. AOL expression contrition and dismay in the quotes provided by spokesman Andrew Weinstein who said:
![AOL User 231392 Illuminated](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/aoprivacy150.jpg?w=150&h=154&crop=1)
AOL User 231392 Illuminated
Here’s another AOL user who should definitely be manacled to a rusty pole and beaten with barb wire. Dirty thoughts! Dirty! Dirty!
![Portait of AOL Search as a Young, Strange, Man](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/portrait.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Portait of AOL Search as a Young, Strange, Man
This research paper, authored by the same people listed as authors in the AOL data’s README, reveals what AOL had hoped for people to do with the data.
![Why Might AOL’s Data Release Be A Big, Big Problem?](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/aoprivacy.jpg?w=200&h=205&crop=1)
Why Might AOL’s Data Release Be A Big, Big Problem?
TechCrunch thinks there could be privacy breaches as people look up personal info which can then be correlated to their other searches.
![AOL User 927 Illuminated](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/aoliluminated.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
AOL User 927 Illuminated
Aroused by the thought of juicy big piles of AOL user search data? Consumerist does the wading for you and finds a delightful little item, AOL User 927.
![The Government Data Mines Everyone](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/strongarm-thumb.jpg?w=150&h=188&crop=1)
The Government Data Mines Everyone
If you’re curious exactly how far the government’s data mining is going, the Wall Street Journal has a scary article up about how the government is literally combing through every single record you have these days for evidence of criminality. It doesn’t stop at the nation’s telecoms: your AOL account, your bank records, any record that could possibly be used against you is routinely being requested by and granted to the Federal Government.