Dec 4, 2010

State Department To Columbia University Students: DO NOT Discuss WikiLeaks On Facebook, Twitter


The State Department says, "Engaging in these activities would call into question your ability to deal with confidenti­al informatio­n, which is part of most positions with the federal government­."

In reference to discussing or referencin­g WikiLeaks material, which while controvers­ial in its potential to cause harm by identifyin­g individual­s working in clandestin­e jobs, is otherwise arguably on the same level as the Pentagon Papers' release, that being the public 'outing' of behavior and actions performed in the public name that many of the public might have very real problems with.

It makes me wonder: Should Department of Justice officials be looking at who references or shares links to this informatio­n, as a cue to identify individual­s who are positively disposed to whistleblo­wing?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Dec 3, 2010

"We are pleased that this lawsuit has finally ended with plaintiffs' acknowledgment that they are entitled to only one dollar."

Now for some news that doesn't completely suck. Aaron and Christine Boring took exception to having their Pittsburgh area home and property photographed for GooGle Street View (that cool enhancement to GooG Maps which lets you see photographs of the location you're mapping.)

You might think 'Hey, the Germans have already made this point, what up?' but this couple from Franklin Park, PA were Thinking Different [deliberate mashing of grammar with no apology to Steve Jobs].

In the first place, the GooG Mobile Unit that captured the images of their home did so from 2/10 of a mile up a private road, passing several 'No Trespassing' signs before snapping the homestead pictures. The Borings told GooGle, taking the pictures from a road the Mobile should never have been on was a violation of their privacy. And here's where The Borings started racking up those Good Citizen points!

When contacted by the Borings, GooGle would not apologize for driving up the road to take pictures it shouldn't have. It ignored their trespass claim, saying only that access to the pictures could be removed, if the Borings requested it. According to the Borings, GooGle claimed the right to photograph pretty much whatever it wanted, wherever it wanted -except of course in parts of Greece, England, and Germany.

Not to be put off - even by a multinational "don't be evil" information service - the Borings hired an attorney and took GooGle to court in a suit claiming a trespass resulting in property devaluation, shame, humiliation, and mental suffering.

Suing someone for snapping a picture in the process of creating free reference information might seem a little weird. But GooGle, as the Borings saw it, suspended their rights to privacy, and would get away with it - unless a legal challenge was made. Given the cost of litigation, it's arguable that GooGle's action was socio-economic discrimination. The only remedy to GooGle's behavior, as the Borings saw it, was to put up discretionary cash and time and "lawyer up."
This was only the first economic hurdle for the Borings.  When they got to court; their lawsuit was dismissed after ten months, by an apparently unsympathetic judge.  My sympathies require I mention, the justice in question has gone to her reward.  I hope her findings in this case cause her no undue discomfort or delay on her journey on the next plane.

Their case was heard in a US Court of Appeal. cha-ching!!  No, Justice is seldom attained at less than full retail, and sometimes with premiums added on.  This time, the judge in the appeal agreed that while none of the damages claimed in the lawsuit could be proven, the complaint of trespassing would be heard. It was at this point that GooGle came to its economic senses, and settled the matter in judge's chambers. Following the settlement, in which both parties paid their own legal fees, GooGle issued the quote titling this article, admitting that it would pay a single dollar in damages for the trespass.