[formichunter]

In northern virginia, fairfaxunderground website, was nice enough to parse only information pertinent to this area. Now, everybody and their friends have searched through it looking for people they know. My wife actually found a good friend's dad listed twice...and he's still married. So, now all those facebook connection have this awkward knowledge and no one will tell the friend.

[leephillips]

The problem, if there is one, is not the data breach. The problem is this voyeuristic curiosity. It never even occurred to me to look at this data. How low would my self respect have to sink before I found it a good use of my time to go strolling in a sewer?

[notahacker]

Not to mention the likelihood that similar "voyeuristic curiosity", as opposed to an active desire to start an affair, was behind many of the signups' decision to register for the site in the first place. Their decision to stroll in the sewer didn't help them out too much, and similarly I can't imagine someone sharing the information that they've been through the list of names winning them too many friends, regardless of what they choose to find or not disclose.

[ryanackley]

Is it "nice" to encourage violating other people's privacy?

Spouses are the real victims in these situations. Part of the pain of infidelity is the humiliation. Airing a whole community's dirty laundry just makes it worse for the victims.

[balabaster]

Can you clarify your meaning of community in this context? You mean the AM community or the "victim's" community? Also, who are you referencing as the victim, the person who had their data leaked or those affected by the fallout?

In the context of those affected by the fallout, if enough are affected, then one could claim the opposite: That it makes it easier knowing that so many were affected that nobody is passing any judgment on their specific incident because everyone is in the same boat - thus the humiliation is actually less.

[JupiterMoon]

I think (hope) that she was being sarcastic with use of the word "nice" in this context?

[smoyer]

I also read that as sarcasm

[lolo_]

I really think you (or a mod) should edit this to not mention the site name. Regardless of what these people have done (or tried to do) let's not spread the misery further by making it easier for people to find this information.

[dhimes]

I understand your point, and I may disagree (not really sure). This is misery, and it sucks for all involved. However, the meta-issue is privacy, how we are being eaten alive by a tragedy-of-the-commons situation where so very many people will allow our privacy erosion by simply thinking it doesn't affect them (the "Well, I've got nothing to hide" excuse).

The one thing that resonates with nearly everybody, however, is sex. Sex hits most of the 'bell curve' (to put it crassly).

So, part of me says that all of this information should be exposed, so that people start to 'get it.'

I don't know- I'm on the fence here.

[smtddr]

Anyone who even knows HN exists will be tech-savvy enough to find all the sites, or torrents, providing the data without having to read a comment on HN.

[lolo_]

Sure, but there's at least the barrier of making the effort to do that, naming the site makes it a google away and if you happen to be in the area it covers it'll be tempting.

It's easier to diet when you don't have a chocolate bar in front of you!

[inversionOf]

There has been a surprising hesitation by many in making the data searchable.

I mean, it's straight up mySQL dumps. You don't even have to do any complex ETL. Making that geographically and attribute searchable is remarkably easy. Like four hour project easy. Mapping everyone on OSM would be trivial.

Yet very few such apps have appeared. I suspect because of the privacy implications, coupled with the fuzzy legal area of the data -- I might have it, but I'm not going to announce to the world that I do.