Ex-employer trying to shut down my AdSense

I am getting shut down!

[markis00]

Hello, I have a long and very complicated question, but I wanted to
ask it b/c of what has happened to me lately.

During the past summer, I worked at a company hhat taught me the basics of SEO, advanced SEO, link building etc.

I was fired at the end of my term b/c of some accidental copyright
infringement. I was told I was allowed to take content from
uncopyrighted websites, which I did to build a website for them.

I wound up accidentaly plagarizing a site by doing so. Without
warning, I was fired.

I used my skills and knowledge gained at this company to build my first online company.

Today I was approved for google adsese. However, according to my previous employer,
I am not allowed to discuss company confidentiality in any
publications, due to some contracts I signed. When I left, I
was told that I could start any ventures I wanted. They no longer
had ties on me and any and all contracts I signed were now null and
void due to my termination.

My Ex-employer will be contacting google and telling them to cancel my
Adsense account, saying I violated the confidentiality contract, even
though I am no longer supposed to be bound by it.

I do not publish their company profile on the site; only common
knowledge known to all Search Engine Optimizers.

My question is this: Can they have google cancel my adsense
account? If I took <edit>my former employer</edit> to court for destruction of a small
business and loss of personal wealth, would I win?

What are my legal options, if any?

Thanks, let me know what you think people.

P.S Sorry moderators, you can delete the links in this message if need be, but I thought it important to the post.

Sincerely,
Mark Berger

[edited by: oilman at 5:08 am (utc) on Nov. 11, 2003]

[edited by: DaveAtIFG at 5:40 am (utc) on Nov. 11, 2003]
[edit reason] no urls or specifics please [/edit]

[Mardi_Gras]

My usual thought - that you need to see an attorney - certainly applies here.

But I do have two questions - how in the world did your former employer find out that you were taking out an account on Google Adsense? And how are you violating a confidentiality contract by using Adsense?

Just curious. If these guys are serious, you definitely need an attorney.

[Marcia]

Just out of curiousity, are you discussing techniques you learned on your site, or just using them? Are those techniques freely available on public websites online?

[DaScribbler]

Confidentiality agreements don't necessarily end when you're terminated from work. In fact, in many cases they maintain a binding agreement for a set period of time after termination or resignation.

I'd contact an attorney, you can usually find one who'll give you a free consultation with their paralegal.