Ooh Ashley. How could you?

Life is short. Have an affair.

So says the enticing Ashley Madison corporate slogan. The online dating service is marketed to folks in a “committed” relationship. The picture of the lady with her lips sealed suggests that what goes down in Vegas stays in Vegas. It also suggests that security is high and no one will find out about the clandestine shenanigans.

Ashley and Madison are both names that originated in England and have been used for both males and females although currently they are preferred female names.

This slogan worked well drawing in some 39 million customers in 53 different countries since the company was launched in 2001. Profiles and preferences proliferated the Internet in a frantic matching process. No thought was given to entrusting AM with all kinds of personal data that might bring a blush to the most open-minded of folks. More than a few users signed up from their work addresses. Forgetting the morals of it all – how could people be so stupid?

The terms and conditions “For your entertainment” include Ashley’s Angels, a feature that generated fictious profiles. Fantastic!! Imagine talking to an avatar “What’s on your mind Honey?” Back comes the standard reply “Lets do the hokey pokey……. and shake it all about”. It takes a Brave Combo if you ask me!

Now profiles can be hidden for free but a fee of $19 must be paid to delete said profiles. This full delete option claimed to remove all details from the site. And here is the twist this permanent delete function did not delete anything and all data was recoverable. How about that! What an impact that had.

Data was ripe for a hack and hack they did, stealing all of the customer’s data. AM was Thunderstruck alternating in its response. “The Impact Team” as the hackers called themselves threatened to release users names and personal information if AM was not immediately shut down. They accused the company of deceptive practices…..”You promised secrecy but didn’t deliver”.

AM would not take this lying down…….”We are working with authorities” and they offered a generous reward of $500,000 for any information leading to the arrest of The Impact Team. The police partnered with AM giving notice to The Impact Group that they will find and prosecute them for this criminal act.

Sure enough the hackers released all of the users data including corporate emails. The impact of public shaming will likely be immense with sites like Gawker having a field day identifying public figures. Users whose data was released have filed a huge class-action lawsuit against AM.

It’s all in the family and what a family feud it is with everyone swinging punches at each other.

Divorce lawyers are likely gearing up for a busy time as the fall begins. A scene might go something like this. Attorney “What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?” Plaintiff “Where am I Maddy?” Attorney “Why did that upset you?” Plaintiff “My name is Ashley”

What goes around comes around.