We are what we search?

So AOL released search data by mistake...

The New York Times has an interesting article about one of the "anonymous" AOL users. As expected, a number does not protect our privacy much, even a number randomly assigned to us by a private company.

The New York Times article quotes Marc Rotenberg describing the effect of saving queries as "a ticking privacy time bomb."

We may know by now not to answer consumer surveys, either on-line or off-line. After all, our hair drier will be under warranty even if we do not inform its manufacturer about your preference in breakfast cereals We cannot avoid using search engines...

It is irritating to know that out of the compilation of all searches will be made a profile of a user. How does our curiosity, who should be boundless, can be at the same time be used to constrict ourselves into an ill-fitted "profile?" Disturbing...