Live data from Hacker News

Apple says more ex-employees may have taken confidential data to OpenAI

techcrunch.com

41–50 of 304 posts

Re: Apple says more ex-employees may have taken confidential data to OpenAI

#41
post #32
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only time I did that, the company I was leaving begged me to take one of their corp laptops with me so I could offer "consulting" to them on the side. I never called them on their plausible deniability, I just said I felt that would be a conflict of interest and they shut up real fast.

Can you elaborate on the plausible deniability part. Was your past employer trying to make best of the situation by hoping to fish for information about your next employer's projects via the consulting gig?

I said "never called them on their plausible deniability" to mean I never pulled off the veil of the conversation, so there's nothing to talk about in front of a judge.

FWIW both the company I was leaving and the company I was joining were startups selling dynamic seat pricing systems to airlines. Your call if that's a conflict of interest :).

Re: Apple says more ex-employees may have taken confidential data to OpenAI

#42
post #6

Really don't like all the drama around this. Should be dealt with in court, not tried in the press. Both sides should learn to remain silent and work the case through legal channels.

>Both sides should learn to remain silent and work the case through legal channels. Why? Apple surely doesn't want to and why should they?

Huh? Apple is literally working through legal channels, the article is pulled from the court filings which are public record. OpenAI is the one making blog posts.

Re: Apple says more ex-employees may have taken confidential data to OpenAI

#43
post #4

OpenAIs response: https://openai.com/index/apple-is-getting-this-wrong/ Personally, this reads a bit ridiculous in the face of what Apple is claiming but time will tell.

Wow. This makes Apple seem like amateur hour. The case should be dismissed with prejudice.

Re: Apple says more ex-employees may have taken confidential data to OpenAI

#44
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The outcome shouldn't depend whether they had "poor" security anyway. If I leave my front door locked, it might increase the chances I get robbed, but it doesn't make robbing me legal.

[flagged]

No it doesnt, that's still breaking and entering

Re: Apple says more ex-employees may have taken confidential data to OpenAI

#45
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The outcome shouldn't depend whether they had "poor" security anyway. If I leave my front door locked, it might increase the chances I get robbed, but it doesn't make robbing me legal.

[flagged]

This is not how it works. Even a cursory glance at the law makes it clear that this is not how it works.

Here is New York: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/140.20

Re: Apple says more ex-employees may have taken confidential data to OpenAI

#46
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The outcome shouldn't depend whether they had "poor" security anyway. If I leave my front door locked, it might increase the chances I get robbed, but it doesn't make robbing me legal.

[flagged]

No. Unlocked door != legal entry. "Breaking" in B&E doesn't require any physical damage. Pushing open an unlocked door or entering a place without authorization counts. If I leave my home to go to the store, and leave the door unlocked and someone walks in, they are still committing a crime.

There are also no tenant protections for criminal intruders, squatter protections require a claim of right like a disputed lease or a holdover tenancy, or continuous possession over many years. Someone that just walks into a residence is an active trespasser and can be arrested for criminal trespass or burglary.

Re: Apple says more ex-employees may have taken confidential data to OpenAI

#47
post #6

Really don't like all the drama around this. Should be dealt with in court, not tried in the press. Both sides should learn to remain silent and work the case through legal channels.

The whole affair and the blog post feels like proxy signal to potential investors from OpenAI that they have now developed/acquired tech that is worth enough to grab Apple's attention ?

Re: Apple says more ex-employees may have taken confidential data to OpenAI

#48

I have never gone from one job to another where the new job was in the same exact industry I was in prior, but I'm glad I never have to be thrown into such a scenario where I'm accused of taking confidential data, I can only imagine for some employers that makes you a red flag, very dangerous territory to be in.

I agree it feels scary from the employee's perspective, but at least in this case, it doesn't seem like it would've been difficult to avoid: simply return your work devices when handing in your badge:

> [...] multiple former Apple employees now working at OpenAI reached out to discuss returning Apple-issued work devices they kept when they left Apple.

By not doing that you effectively just cry "sue me", this is stupidity on the employee's part (or malice). Oh and maybe don't take "screenshots of confidential documents".

Re: Apple says more ex-employees may have taken confidential data to OpenAI

#49
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The outcome shouldn't depend whether they had "poor" security anyway. If I leave my front door locked, it might increase the chances I get robbed, but it doesn't make robbing me legal.

[flagged]

Ha this is the logic Richard Chase used to enter peoples homes

Re: Apple says more ex-employees may have taken confidential data to OpenAI

#50
post #15

I have never gone from one job to another where the new job was in the same exact industry I was in prior, but I'm glad I never have to be thrown into such a scenario where I'm accused of taking confidential data, I can only imagine for some employers that makes you a red flag, very dangerous territory to be in.

The only time I did that, the company I was leaving begged me to take one of their corp laptops with me so I could offer "consulting" to them on the side. I never called them on their plausible deniability, I just said I felt that would be a conflict of interest and they shut up real fast.

Ehmm... offering "consulting" should come with a contract specifying scope of work, data/device access, and expectations.
Post reply on HN