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Everything you do, and everything that happens -- from the location of a water cooler down to serious violations of the law -- is confidential upon pain of termination and the risk of ruinous litigation. You are forbidden to speak to the government, attorneys or the press about wrongdoings at the Company. You are forbidden to speak to your spouse, or your friends, about whether you think your boss could do a better job.
These are only a few of the eye-catching elements in Google's confidentiality policies, according to a lawsuit brought forward by one of the 65,000 "Googlers". The plaintiff has registered his complaint under a "John Doe" identity, as Brian Katz, Google's Director of Global Investigations, Intelligence & Protective Services falsely informed the rest of the Googlers that plaintiff had been terminated for leaking certain information to the press. This was not the case, and Katz knew this, according to the plaintiff: he fears going public will ruin his reputation in the tech industry.
Earlier this year, a Nest employee was fired because he posted comments about Nest's CEO Tony Fadell on Facebook. The reason given for termination was that these posts breached Google's Data Classification guidelines.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Sunday December 25 2016, @12:40AM
Google and company are not government. That is, they have the right to decide what is to be done with their "private" information. Same arguments for censorship, right? If you don't like working for the bastards, you better hit the road, and you better keep your mouth shut. Remember, Google has all that humongous database at their disposal. It would be a shame if you name were to end up in the wrong database, and the government got hold of it.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday December 25 2016, @02:00AM
Only because being non-governmental allowed them to take advantage of loopholes in constitutional protection by becoming the willing aggregator and supplier of domestic intelligence to the US intelligence community.
Did everyone forget when they got access to that airfield in Washington for their 747? Yeah, because all big corporations get that level of favoritism from the USG, outside of defense contractors and LE friendly corporations.
(Score: 2) by Uncle_Al on Sunday December 25 2016, @03:43AM
Moffett Field, conveniently next door to the main Hive of Jive.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday December 25 2016, @08:55AM
Moffet field is in california, not washington.
I don't know what field the GP is talking about.
But, on the other hand, Moffet's got a long history of collaboration with silicon valley companies. I interviewed for civilian work there about 20 years ago and they were doing cutting edge networking.
(Score: 2) by dry on Sunday December 25 2016, @04:25AM
In my country, companies still have to respect basic human rights as rights are considered fundamental. For example companies aren't allowed to invade your privacy with drug testing unless there is a very good reason for it.
It's a fine line and companies can get away with a lot more then government but at least in theory, they're not allowed to control your life outside of work.
Freedom is complex as freedoms are always limited due to the classic not being free to put your fist in the space my face occupies.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday December 25 2016, @11:11PM
Freedom is complex
Bah, humbug...
Your freedom ends where my freedom begins if we were to battle with equal weapons. What's complex about that?
(Score: 2) by urza9814 on Tuesday December 27 2016, @08:13PM
Yeah, my company is private, but that's not going to save the whole damn building from being rounded up on HIPPA charges if we just start publicly dumping out database. There ARE still limits...