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Goldman Sachs Demands Google Unsend One of Its E-mails

rudy_wayne (414635) writes A Goldman Sachs contractor was testing internal changes made to Goldman Sachs system and prepared a report with sensitive client information, including details on brokerage accounts. The report was accidentally e-mailed to a 'gmail.com' address rather than the correct 'gs.com' address. Google told Goldman Sachs on June 26 that it couldn't just reach into Gmail and delete the e-mail without a court order. Goldman Sachs filed with the New York Supreme Court, requesting "emergency relief" to avoid a privacy violation and "avoid the risk of unnecessary reputational damage to Goldman Sachs."

6 of 346 comments (clear)

  1. Goldman Sachs is one of the most dangerous... by MindPrison · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...companies in the world.

    This is a test case for them, it's all about control and it's all about the money.

    Do you guys remember this: "Give me control of a nation's money and I care not who makes the laws."?
    Well, you better remember it - and understand what it means, because your FREEDOM is at stake!

    Cryptic to you?
    READ BETWEEN THE LINES!

    --
    What this world is coming to - is for you and me to decide.
  2. How the fuck? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    How the fuck did they reach anyone at Google to get that response?!

  3. Re:You get what you pay for... by fustakrakich · · Score: 3, Interesting

    You get what you pay for.

    Yes, Goldman Sachs bought themselves a nice compliant government. I would say they got a bargain.

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  4. Re:Minor inconvenience by Somebody+Is+Using+My · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As disturbing is that the threat of "reputational damage" is enough to get a court on your side.

    The United States government should not be helping people or business protect their reputation from their own mistakes. It opens a floodgate to potential abuses. This request should have been laughed out of court. "You screwed up, bub; you deal with the consequences."

    I can see this ruling being used as a precedent in many future law cases.

  5. Unsending E-mail by DERoss · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The ancient Roman Horace (65-8 bce) said: "Once a word has been allowed to escape, it cannot be recalled."

    More recently, Omar, the Tentmaker (died ca 1123 ce) said:
    "The moving finger writes; and, having writ,
    Moves on: nor all your Piety or Wit
    Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
    Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it."

  6. Re:why? by war4peace · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Maybe. The GP raises an interesting point though.
    Is the "address" (johndoe123@example.com) the same as its user (Mike Somehow who uses the previously mentioned e-mail address)?
    Real life example: I rent an apartment which was previously occupied by a foreign citizen. I receive snail mail addressed to:
    - The owner
    - Previous renter
    - Me
    - My wife
    - Unspecified recipient (SPAM)
    - Others (named people who don't live at my address).

    I am legally entitled to open mail addressed to me and "unspecified recipient". Now, in case of an e-mail address, the same could apply. The actual recipient might not be the one who "lives" there, and there might be elements that specifically mention a different recipient than me. Since an e-mail is a non-physical item, I can't really "return without opening" but I could destroy it (after or instead of reading its contents).

    Is this covered by the GMail EULA? I confess I've never read the whole damn thing.

    --
    ...gis sdrawkcab (usually not responding to ACs; don't bother posting as AC)