AOL data release fallout
AOL’s CTO has “decided to leave” the company, “effective immediately”, according to an email message sent to remaining employees by CEO Jon Miller.
Additionally, CNet news reports [link to http://news.com.com/Three+workers+exit+AOL+over+search+data+release/2100-1030_3-6107830.html no longer works] that the researcher who posted the data, and the researcher’s supervisor (a direct report of ex-CTO Maureen Govern) have been fired.
Dismissing the employess directly related is one thing, but can the CTO be held responsible for actions she may have known nothing about?
I must say, though, some of these search queries are hilarious – “how to tell the wife about affair”
http://www.frogspy.com/searches/byquery/tell+the+wife+about+affair
Maybe the reason is that she failed to know what her direct reports were doing, she failed to maintain a culture of accountability and respect for privacy, she failed to exercise appropriate protection of the company’s intellectual property, and she failed to recognize (or manage) a crisis.
I’m not saying I believe in all of the above, but it seems at least possible that any or all of them are among the reasons AOL and she parted company.