The most disturbing aspect of the episode is that each search query was labelled with a numeric identification number which could enable online investigators to discover the identities of the searchers, what they searched for and in some cases intimate details about the individuals.
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Most web surfers assume that the queries in the searches they conduct are completely anonymous. However, the AOL episode shows that every search that every user has ever conducted on the web is potentially a traceable and possibly damaging piece of information.
