One of thegarlic reporters has established close contacts with the owners of the Ashley Madison web site. It appears that the primary purpose of the site was to conduct a scientific experiment when one of the owners was studying for a PhD at Stanford University. The Social Sciences PhD topic was related to adultery. The student was asserting that almost all males would choose adultery if they had a chance. The supervisor advised the student to find some evidence to support her theory. The student, in search of evidence, established the Ashley Madison web site which promoted itself as the go-to service for people looking to have an affair. The site knows your physical and sexual preferences and stores your private messages and photos.