Yahoo News Who is on the list in Netflix’s Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies and Scandal?
The Ashley Madison data leak changed the lives of thousands. Marketed as a dating website to help you facilitate affairs, Ashley Madison was supposed to be discreet – and above all, it was supposed to be secure. But as viewers of the new Netflix documentary, Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies and Scandal, will know, that turned out not to be the case…
In 2015, hackers targeted the controversial site, initially threatening and then actually leaking vast amounts of personal information, with devastating consequences. Users' details - including names, addresses, credit card details, messages, photos - were shared on the dark web.
Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies and Scandal also explains the events leading up to the infamous data dump, which saw celebrities' names splashed across headlines if it was thought they were involved, and saw users' relationships destroyed.
What is the Ashley Madison list?
In 2015, Ashley Madison had over 30 million users in 40 countries, many of whom were affected by the double data leak.
Hackers targeted then-CEO Noel Biderman, releasing his personal emails which detailed his own affairs. The breach also included users' data, with both celebrities and non-famous account holders affected.
Although the information was shared on the dark web, the details quickly came to light as people scoured the list, looking for public figures or other people they recognised.
Who is on the Ashley Madison list?
Several high-profile names were recorded on the list, including reality TV stars, public figures and politicians, and thousands more people whose names you might not recognise but who were impacted nonetheless.
Netflix's documentary includes the tragic story of a religious minister and professor who took his own life after he lost his job following the leak and his name was exposed The film series also includes interviews with YouTubers Sam and Nia Rader, a married couple who were caught up in the scandal when it emerged Sam had once signed up for an account on Ashley Madison.
In the end, the couple made the choice to stay together; many others did not. Families and relationships were fractured and lives forever altered when users' transgressions came to light.
Can you still see the Ashley Madison list?
Nearly a decade on, the leaked data is still accessible online. The list was published to the dark web, but several media outlets have named well-known figures implicated in the scandal. Ashley Madison, too, is still operating, albeit under new leadership. The Ashley Madison site announced Noel Biderman's resignation soon after the leak. Following Biderman's departure, Rob Segal became CEO, and Ashley Madison continues to welcome users, with a reported 70 million members to date.
Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies and Scandal is available to watch on Netflix
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