Electronic Frontier Foundation Demands Federal Probe of AOL

SAN FRANCISCO — The Electronic Frontier Foundation has formally petitioned the Federal Trade Commission to investigate America Online for leaking about 19 million search terms used by 658,000 subscribers over a three-month period.

The EFF’s petition is requesting that the FTC enforce changes in AOL’s privacy practices after the release of the search queries. EFF further argues that the release of this data violated AOL’s current privacy policy and the Federal Trade Commission Act and should be investigated. EFF also requests that the FTC require AOL to notify customers affected by the disclosure and to stop logging search data except where absolutely necessary or required by law enforcement.

“Search terms can expose the most intimate details of a person’s life — private information about your family problems, your medical history, your financial situation, your political and religious beliefs, your sexual preferences and much more,” EFF Staff Attorney Marcia Hofmann said. “At the very least, AOL should notify every customer whose privacy has been jeopardized by the company’s careless handling of this incredibly private information, and AOL should not store this kind of data in the future when it doesn’t have to.”

AOL has since removed the data from its website, but its contents have been copied to many sites on the Internet like AOLStalker.com. The released information does not contain names or email addresses, but were tagged with a numerical code that allows each user’s search terms to be grouped together.

In its complaint, EFF highlighted particular examples of different search terms grouped by user to exemplify how personally identifiable information can be easily culled from the data. A few AOL subscribers have told their story to the media after recognizing their search terms.

AOL has described the data leak as a “mistaken release” by a researcher.

The San Diego-based World Privacy Forum has filed a similar complaint with the FTC.

“We’ve asked the FTC to make sure that AOL rectifies the damage that’s been done and improve its privacy protections for the future,” EFF attorney Kevin Bankston said. “But this problem isn’t limited to AOL — every search company stores this kind of data. Hopefully, AOL’s shocking violation of its users’ privacy will spur Congress to clarify that the same law that prevents these companies from disclosing our personal emails also applies to our search logs.”

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult, Could Face Override

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Show More