Print 12 comment(s) - last by DAVIDS.. on Oct 1 at 12:11 AM

The HP scandal continues to take many turns

The fallout from the spying controversy involving Hewlett-Packard continued today after several HP executives faced a U.S. House subcommittee.  Critics have been quick to point out that the discovery of the company's spying of employees and journalists only happened because of displeasure in the boardroom.  HP is accused of spying on employees to try and stop constant information leaks to the media; specifically of hiring private investigators who planted bugs on computers and used false pretenses to obtain private phone records on board members and nine journalists.

HP general counsel Ann Baskins resigned today. Baskins exercised the right to not testify at the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee's meeting -- she is the fourth company official to resign in the past several days.  Baskins also had papers delivered that reportedly prove HP did nothing illegal.  Former HP board chairman Patricia Dunn, who testified today, also claimed the company has acted legally.  HP lawyer Larry Sonsini and HP IT security worker Fred Adler also testified this morning. 

HP's chief executive, Mark Hurd, has shrugged off blame for the tactics used by the investigators.  He recently apologized for not paying close enough attention to the investigation.  

HP still faces several state and federal investigations.

Comments     Threshold


The end of intellectual property
By captchaos2 on 9/29/2006 10:26:39 AM , Rating: 1
That's right tech companies, just give up trying to come up with new ideas for your company because your sellout employees and bottom-feeding journalists are allowed to buy, sell, and publish your secret information on your new products with the full blessing of the court judges! Intellectual property has no meaning anymore and you'd better not try to protect yourselves from theft. It's a brave new world!

Honestly, why can't HP protect itself and its intellectual property from their own sellout employees? I'm glad to see a company actually investigating their mysterious "leaks to reporters", and I know we'll see more of it since these companies are sick of it. I realize HP has to follow laws and standards in their investigation, but why will the feds investigate HP for invasion of property and not investigate the employees and reporters for blatant, ongoing violations of intellectual property rights?

By rykerabel on 9/29/2006 11:53:10 AM , Rating: 1

RE: The end of intellectual property
By dsumanik on 9/29/2006 11:59:55 AM , Rating: 2
Theyll start doing this as soon as large companies like HP and Apple realize that these "media leaks" just add fuel to the hype surrounding their product releases.

Intellectual property....ha what a joke.

When something is leaked...everyone has to go and at least check out ONCE to see what it was. You cant buy publicity like that, period, with any advertising firm.

Thats is the purpose of advertising, to let your customers know what you sell, and have them be interested in it.

I mean seriously guys, when weas the last time anyone gave to squirts of pee about what was going on at HP? These little scandals just add to sales, because nothing sells like a naughty secret.

RE: The end of intellectual property
By vanka on 9/29/2006 2:16:11 PM , Rating: 2

Not all publicity is benificial to the company, even if it's positive. Imagine you owned/controlled a company that got an idea that no one else had thought of; you start developing your idea, only to have one of your employees leak it to the press. Now your competitors know what you're up to and can get a product out to compete with yours and if they have more resources they can even get it to market before you do. I'm not saying that what HP did was legal (that's up to the courts to decide), but they do have a right to protect their trade secrets.

RE: The end of intellectual property
By DAVIDS on 10/1/2006 12:11:49 AM , Rating: 2
Protecting intellectual property does not give anyone the right to break the law, or authorize the breaking of the law. Also, HP had been warned by one of its own security investigators that what the company was doing was probably illegal. Obtaining personal information under false pretenses is something I would expect from a common ID thief, and not from a company that once prided itself on corporate ethics. And taking the Fifth won't necessarily get these people off the hook. In all likelihood, some of them will be indicted.

By shabby on 9/29/2006 6:57:09 AM , Rating: 1
I plead the fif!

RE: ...
By LtFarva on 9/29/2006 7:53:20 AM , Rating: 1

RE: ...
By VIAN on 9/29/2006 8:40:14 AM , Rating: 2
1, 2, 3, 4, FIF!

I have to say though, it really pisses me off when people can't pronounce the T-H sound. And the say souf, instead of south.

RE: ...
By knowyourenemy on 9/29/2006 9:30:39 AM , Rating: 2
I plead the fizzif!

right to testify?
By EODetroit on 9/29/2006 9:56:51 AM , Rating: 2
HP general counsel Ann Baskins resigned today while declining the right to testify at the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee's meeting

More like "exercised the right to NOT testify"....

RE: right to testify?
By Armorize on 9/29/2006 12:29:39 PM , Rating: 1
no they are DECLINING their right to testify. when you plead the fifth you can still testify.

RE: right to testify?
By Zirconium on 9/29/2006 1:10:17 PM , Rating: 2
No, they are exercising their right to not testify. The government can subpoena you to testify against someone else. When you have to do something, it is not a right (i.e. prisoners aren't exercising their right to go to jail). Testifying is not a right. The fifth ammendment states no one "shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself," meaning that you have the right to not testify against yourself.

