What happens when Google buys employee data?

Google's acquisition of a massive dataset from Spirit Airlines has got a lot of people spooked, especially former flight attendants. This dataset is huge - we're talking nearly two decades of employment and workplace records - and it was sold to Google through an auction. Now, Google says it'll strip out personally identifying information from the data, but former employees are still worried that their confidential info might be compromised.

The Association of Flight Attendants, which represents Spirit workers, is arguing that Google's privacy promises don't do much for former employees. They claim there's a huge loophole here - the laws that protect consumer data just don't apply to worker confidentiality. So, even if Google scrubs the data, it's possible that the company or third parties could still link it back to individual employees, which would be a major privacy breach.

The whole thing has privacy advocates up in arms, saying it's just not okay to use someone's data for a new purpose without their consent. Adam Schwartz, a privacy litigation director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, notes that selling employee data to train AI is especially concerning. With Google expanding its AI use all the time, this dataset acquisition raises some big questions about how the company handles sensitive employee info.

Former Spirit employees can take matters into their own hands, though - they can keep an eye on their online presence, be careful what personal info they share, and support advocacy groups pushing for stronger protections on employee data. By staying in the know and taking action, individuals can help make sure their confidential info stays protected and that companies like Google are held to account for how they handle sensitive data.

Source: Ars Technica