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Sony's Threatens to Sue Media Who Publish Hacked Materials

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Mon Dec 15, 2014 at 09:02:43 PM EST
Tags: computer hackers, Sony (all tags)
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On behalf of Sony, lawyer David Boies has written a letter to media organizations (available here)threatening to sue them if they publish the materials hackers obtained from its computer network.

Can Sony win such a lawsuit? Eugene Volokh of the Volokh Conspiracy analyzes the issue and concludes "Probably not, at least as to most of the information that media outlets would want to publish."

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    Sony's Threatens to Sue Media Who Publish Hacked Materials | 3 comments (3 topical)

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    Seems to Me... (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by ScottW714 on Tue Dec 16, 2014 at 10:16:40 AM EST
    ...that Sony's problem is it's employees lack of respect of people and the culture at Sony that allowed them to write emails, that at least here, would most certainly require an @ss chewing from HR.  If it went public or there was more than a single instance, I would be shown the door.

    For Sony that would be firing an executive who has made them a lot of cash.  So here they are making threats, trying to place the blame for their employees behavior anywhere but where it belongs,  at the feet of Sony and the culture that allowed these kinds of emails to go unchecked.

    If Sony wants to sue the people responsible they need to get in line with everyone else who will be suing Sony.  The messenger didn't write the emails, that was people employed at Sony.

    It's a tremble thing (none / 0) (#1)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Dec 15, 2014 at 09:47:43 PM EST
    i always feel a little like I am going through people's drawers and medicine cabinet when I hear or see this stuff.  Which I have made no effort to do but it's hard to avoid.

    yeah, i'm guessing this is a wasted $400 (none / 0) (#2)
    by cpinva on Tue Dec 16, 2014 at 12:01:18 AM EST
    billable hour, which I suspect he already told them. on the other hand, Sony could file a criminal complaint against any media company that publishes the information, asserting that they are knowingly in possession of stolen property. the hacked information would be considered personal property, and Sony is the rightful owner. the media companies would be hard pressed to claim no knowledge of it being stolen, since they're the ones that reported it to begin with.

    it wouldn't be a 1A issue, no one has a constitutional right to knowingly possess and publicize stolen information.

    Sony's Threatens to Sue Media Who Publish Hacked Materials | 3 comments (3 topical)

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