EmbeddingGemma 2: an open, lightweight multimodal embedding model
deepmind.google·6d ago
AI Engineering
Hacker News·Aug 3·5 min read
Apple engineer says he was fired after refusing to send cust. device IDs to AT&T
TL;DR
Toby Boardman, an Apple engineer, claims he was fired for refusing to share customer device IDs with AT&T, violating privacy policies. He alleges that his termination was a retaliation for raising concerns about customer privacy.
✦ Why It Matters
Review your company's data-sharing policies to ensure compliance with privacy regulations.
Key Takeaways
- Understand the implications of sharing personally identifiable information.
- Ensure compliance with internal data-sharing policies.
- Document any privacy concerns raised within your organization.
- Be aware of the potential consequences of whistleblowing.
Full Summary
Toby Boardman, an Enterprise Systems Engineer at Apple, was terminated shortly after returning from medical leave and raising concerns about customer privacy. He alleges that Apple was improperly sharing device identifiers, such as the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), with AT&T without obtaining necessary customer consent.
Boardman claims that while Apple required consent for other carriers, AT&T requests were processed without it, often through unsecured email. After reporting these practices to his manager and seeking legal guidance, he was told to 'stop being a pain.'
Boardman subsequently refused to fulfill AT&T's requests, leading to his dismissal. He has since filed a lawsuit against Apple, which denies the allegations and claims his termination was justified.
A jury trial is scheduled for November 2027.