Comments on: HP settles with California in spy scandal

State says it has made a deal with PC maker over civil charges related to methods used in an HP leak investigation.

[the kraut]

Disappointed

Only three mentions of News.com in the story. Come on, you can do better.

[fhofmeister]

HP Settlement

Another coverup for big business

[rmiecznik]

yep

What else did you expect ? Money can fix a lot of things, unless the government is stubernishly set on making an example, like with Martha Stewart.

[mwtrepp]

Dear fhofmeister

What do you want, blood? Ooooh, the boogy man, BIG BUSINESS.

[mwtrepp]

Dear fhofmeister

What do you want, blood? Ooooh, the boogy man, BIG BUSINESS.

[itworker--2008]

What about the people?

The State gets money
The Attorney's get money
The actual injuried parties get nothing

[Too Old For IT]

I think those law suits are on going

Or at least they would be if I were a lawyer.

[logan1337]

Amazing...

It's amazing how a little money directed to the right places can make everything alright.

[alex_cnet]

extortion...

Isn't this extortion by the government?
It's just the same tactic that ex NYC DA Spitzer used, threatening to sue, then get the money from the companies, without even going to trial.

[mwtrepp]

AG Lockyer

Lockyer is a scum bag idiot. Trying to make a name for himself so he can run for Gov.

[eaglebeagle]

spy scandal

I am surprised,considering the amount of business this company could lose.
Can there products be trusted,where the little fish are concerned.

[chash360]

Appalling lack of the real story

Has no one considered the fact that they were investigating someone who was leaking information to the press, whose privacy was violated first, the corperate leak's or HP's? That same board member is also a board member of a defense contractor, do you think if the DOD got wind of that person leaking DOD info they would not have done, significantly more 'privacy violations' in a government investigation? (Oh that's right the government is expempt from that, they can violate privacy all they want.) That the alleged acts of violation were committed by an outside contracted private investigation company, and there are no clear laws outlawing pretexting in an investigation context? If there are victims in this case it is Patricia Dunn, she was doing the job she was charged with, that needed done, and she got it done. If my employer suspected me or a co-worker of stealing, leaking information, etc. I think they are in their full rights to investigate, using any legal means at their disposal, and there was every reason to believe that this practice was legal, in the course of a legitimate investigation, by licensed investigators. The laws still have not changed, and HP could have fought the case, but what good would that do? It would waste a lot of tax payer time and money and line government and lawyer pockets just the same. Where is the settlement for the violation of HP's privacy? I think the general public agrees considering that throughout the entire thing, HP stock has only increased, the public knows this was a trumped up case. We have yet to see why, but I am quite certian it really has nothing to do with HP, but rather something to do with a precedent being set around private investigations. If all private investigation hands are tied, who then can investigate public corruption? It is even in CNET's best interest that these investigative avenues still exist. If it were any other huge corperation, perhaps I would suspect them as you are, but this is HP, about the last honest world wide corperation left, again and again reported as being the shining example of an American Company. How many years has HP been in business, in how many contries, and this is the best scandal you can come up with?