Google might be facing 1 $3.8 billion lawsuit over internal spying

[engine]

A new lawsuit report alleges that Google runs an internal spying program to encourage employees to inform on others.

Google product manager is suing the company over its internal confidentiality policies, saying they breach California labor laws. Among other things, the lawsuit alleges Google runs an internal “spying program” which relies on employees voluntarily reporting other employees who might have leaked information. Google might be facing 1 $3.8 billion lawsuit over internal spying [theinformation.com]

[keyplyr]

Seems like a self-fulfilled prophecy. He spied on someone spying on someone so he is voluntarily reporting it thus leaking the information.

[superclown2]

The spies are spying on fellow spies. It's in the company's DNA.

[Marshall]

And this surprising anyone WHY?

[tangor]

I think it's the California connection that makes it a story. :)

[Robert Charlton]

Note that the original article linked to in "The Information" has a paywall which fades the story out, Pinterest style, part way down the page... and that the subscription rate to read further is $39/month or $399/yr... so I'm guessing that not many posters here have read a good part of the story.

Much as I believe in paying for content, here's an alternative source where we can read enough of the story for free to discuss it. Other publications who report on the story cite "The Information". and we should probably pay attention to "fair use"

Google faces potential $3.8 billion lawsuit over internal ‘spying’ program...
San Jose Mercury News
[siliconbeat.com...]

Apparently, the worker had filed complaints earlier in 2016 with the NLRB and "was fired for airing on Facebook grievances about the company.". The article goes into various prohibitions Google's NDA has about putting complaints into writing, as well as its confidentiality rules, one of which is said to prohibit novelizations set in a hi-tech company in Silicon Valley without Google's approval. ;)

Google called the lawsuit “baseless” and said it would fight it vigorously.

“We’re very committed to an open internal culture, which means we frequently share with employees details of product launches and confidential business information,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement. “Transparency is a huge part of our culture. Our employee confidentiality requirements are designed to protect proprietary business information, while not preventing employees from disclosing information about terms and conditions of employment, or workplace concerns.”

As I read the article, the employee is suing on behalf of 650,000 employes, with violations repeating over time, which is how this suit gets up to $3.8-billion.