The Face of One AOL Searcher Exposed 315
Juha-Matti Laurio writes "No. 4417749 conducted hundreds of searches over a three-month period on topics ranging from "numb fingers" to "60 single men" to "dog that urinates on everything., report NYT journalists Michael Barbaro and Tom Zeller Jr., but with a permission from Mrs. Thelma Arnold, 62. "Those are my searches," she said, after a reporter read part of the list to her, continues the article."
What a ho (Score:5, Funny)
At her age. I think she should be happy with a couple, but 60... gotta admire her!
Hmm (Score:5, Funny)
User 48956332 HTML 4, whats the big deal
User 48956332 Howto use sandboxen in development
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User 48956332 Spelcheking
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Search string (Score:5, Funny)
But at least it looks like my code isn't the only place invaded by quote-abducting aliens.
but with permission... (Score:5, Funny)
In other words, the journalists tracked down about 20 AOL searchers, but Mrs Arnold was the only one to give permission for the article as hers was the only search term list that didn't include 'midget porn'.
Who uses AOL? (Score:3, Funny)
I don't know how the NYT reporters were able to track her down. After all, this describes most AOL users!
Quick! (Score:4, Funny)
"Officer, those searches can't be mine, I'm not an 18 year old lesbian movie actress!"
Re:Hmm (Score:5, Funny)
User 48956332 Preventing Dupes.
User 48956332 Preventing Dupes.
User 48956332 Preventing Dupes.
She should stay at AOL (Score:4, Funny)
She shouldn't. There's absolutely no way AOL will ever do anything like that again. On the other hand, if she switches to another online provider, who still hasn't been burned, it's a quite a bit more likely they'll screw up like this as well. She'd be "safer" staying at AOL.
Do the search again? (Score:2, Funny)
Oblig. Prisoner (Score:5, Funny)
You're on AOL.
What do you want?
Search information.
Whose side are you on?
That would be telling. We want information. Information. Information.
You won't get it.
By hook or by crook, we will.
Who are you?
The new ad-funded AOL Number 2.
Who is Number 1?
You are Number 4417749.
I am not a number -- I am a free gran!
Re:She should stay at AOL (Score:5, Funny)
At the end of the article, she says she's cancelling her AOL account as a result.
Correction, she's going to try to cancel her AOL account.
Re:1 down, 24.9999 million to go... (Score:2, Funny)
won't hurt yahoo (Score:3, Funny)
21528558 http com yahoo com wont hurt wont yahoo 2006-04-21 15:31:20
I'm amazed by the masses of stupid search strings that are given, why are so many search strings complete (or non working) http adresses? (e.g. www.yahoo.com) Seems like a lousy database to me anyway.
Re:but with permission... (Score:4, Funny)
AOL's apology vs. Dilbert's boss (Score:5, Funny)
"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..."
This is sounding very much like Dilbert's boss's public apology made years ago:
"It was wrong for us to sell keyboards with no 'Q' We're sorry. We're morons. We're dumber than squirrels. We hear voices and do what they command. I have broccoli in my socks. "
user 4417749's Search Records (Score:5, Funny)
4417749 60 single men
4417749 dog that urinates on everything
4417749 landscapers in Lilburn, Ga
4417749 bill arnold
4417749 carpet shampoo rental
4417749 julie arnold
4417749 stan arnold
4417749 homes sold in shadow lake subdivision gwinnett county georgia
4417749 gwinnet county animal services
4417749 stan arnold
4417749 pecan pie recipes
4417749 McGyver DVDs
4417749 pet euthanasia services
Re:user 4417749's Search Records (Score:2, Funny)
Re:1 down, 24.9999 million to go... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Oblig. Prisoner (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Nothing we can do! (Score:3, Funny)
"C'mon, these are AOL users we are talking about...we never expected them to find out".
Re:Nothing we can do! (Score:4, Funny)
Tubes, my friend. Tubes.
Re:Hmm (Score:5, Funny)
Note the timestamps of the last two lines, sounds like he had, well, an evening that did not go as planned
Re:Quick! (Score:3, Funny)
pictures of dead people
*no, that didn't work*
killed people
*hmm, no good, maybe try "dead pictures"*
dead pictures
*hmm, no results, lemme try again*
dead pictures
*0 searches, cmon! one more try*
dead pictures
*no, nothing... how about...*
murder photo
*ah fuck it, lemme go on Slashdot.*
=reads ttys00's comment=
Quick, make a bunch of bogus searches! That way you will have some plausible deniability when The Man knocks on your door with a list of your searches.
*oh shit... he's right. Lemme go make some fake searches... um... hmm. Oh, I got it!*
steak and cheese
*hmm. What else?... damn, can't think of anything*
photo of death
Re:Hmm (Score:2, Funny)
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Re:Nothing we can do! (Score:3, Funny)
Attention
Re:SQL injection target? (Score:1, Funny)