Categories: OLD Media Moves

SABEW statement on Hewlett-Packard pretexting

The Society of American Business Editors and Writers, a trade group representing 3,500 financial journalists, is outraged that any company would stoop to unethical — if not illegal — means to gain access to a reporter’s telephone records.

According to news reports, Hewlett-Packard officials hired private investigators to learn who talked to the media about board decision-making. These investigators, according to the reports, reportedly stole journalists’ identities in an attempt to learn if certain reporters had talked with Hewlett-Packard insiders.

Such actions have a chilling effect on the journalistic process and thereby do harm to the public, investors and all of us who rely on the free flow of information. Such actions also compromise a reporter’s ability to talk freely with sources. Sources in sensitive situations may fear retribution if their bosses, or other possible adversaries, could easily steal the phone records of inquiring reporters.

In addition, H-P’s actions raise serious questions about the privacy and security practices at phone companies. In an age of concern about identity theft, the ease with which records were compromised is something that journalists ought to explore much more deeply.

Journalists possess the same rights as any other citizens when it comes to the protection of their personal information. In addition, reporters’ notes, phone records and conversations with their sources are protected in many states — including California, where H-P is headquartered — from searches or review even by law enforcement agencies.

California’s Attorney General has publicly stated that a practice known as “pretexting” — faking a person’s identity to gain their personal information — violates state privacy laws. If that is the case, SABEW hopes violators face the full force of the law.

“Pretexting” thefts are a true threat to all Americans’ personal privacy. Hewlett-Packard’s actions have shown that “pretexting” is also a threat to the freedom of the press.

View Comments

    Recent Posts

    Dynamo hires former Business Insider executive editor Harrington

    Former Business Insider executive editor Rebecca Harrington has been hired by Dynamo to be its…

    2 days ago

    Bloomberg TV hires Kerubo as desk producer

    Bloomberg Television has hired Brenda Kerubo as a desk producer in London. She will be covering Europe's…

    2 days ago

    Jittery CNBC staff reassured by new boss

    In a meeting at CNBC headquarters Thursday afternoon, incoming boss Mark Lazarus presented a bullish…

    2 days ago

    Making business news accessible to a wider audience

    Ritika Gupta, the BBC's North American business correspondent, was interviewed by Global Woman magazine about…

    2 days ago

    Rest of World hires Lo as China reporter

    Rest of World has hired Kinling Lo as a China reporter. Lo was previously a…

    2 days ago

    Bloomberg rises to No. 7 biz news website

    Bloomberg News saw strong unique visitor growth to its website in October, passing Fox Business…

    2 days ago