Talk : Search engines change access to knowledge : The social context is changing :

AOL's "anonymized" search records


Test data, for scientists use (like me!)

20 million queries, 660,000 users

NYTimes: "AOL Removes Search Data On Vast Group Of Web Users"

By SAUL HANSELL

August 8, 2006

User#4417749: hundreds of searches, three-month period:

“numb fingers”

“60 single men”

“dog that urinates on everything.”

“landscapers in Lilburn, Ga,”

people with the last name Arnold

“homes sold in shadow lake subdivision gwinnett county georgia.”

User#4417749 = Thelma Arnold !


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Created by rik@cogsci.ucsd.edu 4/10/08