Original URL: http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2006/08/22/aol_cto_quits/
AOL's chief technology officer has resigned and two other staff members have been sacked following the release of half a million subscribers' search terms.
Maureen Govern is leaving immediately and will be replaced temporarily by John McKinley, the current president of digital services.
According to a CNet (http://news.com.com/Three+workers+depart+AOL+after+privacy+uproar/2100-1030_3-6107830.html?tag=nefd.lede) source, the two staff fired were the researcher responsible for the data being posted online and the researcher's supervisor, who reports to Govern.
The company released three months of searches from over half a million subscribers. The data was meant for academic researchers, but ended up on public sites. Individuals were not named, but due to the nature of some searches and the inclusion of addresses and social security numbers, some people could be identified.
In an email to staff, AOL chief exec Jonathan Miller said the company was taking action to prevent such an incident happening again. He said the firm would set up a task force to look at privacy issues and data retention, put extra restrictions on employee access to data, educate staff about the issues, and look at technologies which could mark sensitive information.
More from the Seattle Times here (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003216030_aol22.html). ®
Time Warner mulls flogging AOL US dial-up biz (again) (19 September 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/09/19/aol_us_sale/
AOL gets new Europe, international chiefs (22 January 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/22/aol_new_bosses_again/
AOL Europe spins executive merry-go-round again (14 December 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/12/14/aol_ceo_quits_part4/
AOL sued over search engine data release (26 September 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/26/aol_privacy_breach_lawsuit/
Gonzales calls for ISP data retention laws (20 September 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/20/gonzales_calls_for_data_retention/
Terrorism no excuse for privacy breaches, says EU regulator (19 September 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/19/terrorism_privacy_breaches/
Digital rights activists take aim at EU data laws (15 September 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/15/digital_rights_ireland_data_retention_lawsuit/
Net prankster lays bare 'Casual Encounters' (11 September 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/11/fortuny_craigslist_sex_prank/
Guidelines needed to protect anonymity (30 August 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/30/online_anonymity/
Wireless Brits just want to do it in the garden (29 August 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/29/aol_wireless_survey/
Google loses ground in search battle, AOL continues to freefall (21 August 2006)
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2006/08/21/google_comscore_july/
AOL reported to FTC (16 August 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/16/aol_suffers_ftc_complaint/
Amazon 'plans world's biggest personal data stash' (14 August 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/14/amazon_data_hoard/
Google vows: We'll keep hoarding your porn queries (12 August 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/12/google_search_hoard_promise/
AOL apologises over search data 'screw-up' (8 August 2006)
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2006/08/08/aol_search_data_breach_apology/
AOL publishes database of users' intentions (7 August 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/07/aol_search_logs/
© Copyright 2008