AOL investigating Navy discharge
The online service is looking into the circumstances around the dismissal of a U.S. Navy sailor on grounds that he said he is gay in his member profile.
AOL said in a statement released today, "We are investigating the Navy situation and we feel confident that our privacy policy was followed."
AOL also sent a letter to all its customer representatives "reinforcing the importance of strict adherence to our privacy policy," the company said.
AOL spokeswoman Tricia Primrose declined to comment more specifically about the investigation, but she reiterated AOL's policy against divulging member information.
"When you join the AOL team as a customer service representative, part of the training, part of the day-to-day work is all based on the hard and fast policy regarding privacy of member information," she said.
As previously reported, the case has drawn international publicity not only because it focuses on the military's controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gays in the military, but also because it highlights issues surrounding privacy online.
Today the Center for Democracy and Technology reiterated its opinion that the Navy possibly broke the law when it asked the customer service representative, only identified as "Owen," about McVeigh's identity.
It also accuses the Navy of violating the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
McVeigh, 36, is slated to be honorably discharged at midnight on Thursday.