The search and seizure of your privacy.

This story posted at the New York Times today will really make you think twice about googling "anal fissures."

Copies of detailed records of searches via AOL are circulating online, and some Sherlocks are backtracking the queries to actual people.

Collecting this type of data for the purposes of increasing search engine efficiency and targeted media placement comes at a cost—your privacy.

I came across a tool the other day that might help slow down this type of data collecting. www.the-cloak.com is a website that allows you to surf through their website, thus masking your identity and location and making your surfing "anonymous"—think of it as a buffer. There is more information along with diagrams on their FAQ page.

If they get a subpoena, they'll probably turn over their records, but it's still an extra step.

[via Design Observer]