Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Maybe Patricia Dunn was just concerned about their recycling habits

I know. Congressional sex scandals are fun (FUN!) and can make us feel so comparatively sane. Still I can't figure out why the Hewlett-Packard story only inspires what Dealbreaker calls "scandal fatigue." Look at this: "Surveillance, [included] a 'sting' operation and digging through trash....to spy on directors, two employees and nine reporters."

Of course nobody cares about directors and maybe that's why no one cares about this. But employees? Doesn't that alarm you just a little? It's one thing to accept that your employer monitors your at-work email and Internet activity. But how alarmed would you be to discover that your company searches your home garbage? Or does background checks on your relatives? Or tracks your friends' calls? HP did all that. To uncover an activity that is not illegal. So yes, I want an ugly, embarrassing Mark Hurd resignation. Now. It might be the only outcome scary enough to discourage any other executive from spying on employees. And because honestly, I'm tired of always having to explain all these empties.

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