Everybody’s spying
by digby
Apparently, just because they can. The good news about this is that somebody thinks this might even be wrong:
Three senior Ikea executives in France were put under investigation on Wednesday over allegations they spied on disgruntled customers and former staff.
The head of Ikea France is among those accused of employing a firm of private detectives to snoop on individual employees, particularly union activists, job applicants and even unhappy customers, and of fraudulently obtaining personal information from police files.
A judge decided there was enough evidence to formally mis en examen (the equivalent of being charged) Stefan Vanoverbeke, the chief executive of Ikea France, his predecessor Jean-Louis Baillo and chief financial officer Dariusz Rychert, who were arrested on Monday and held for questioning.
Under French law, the men had to be formally put under investigation within 24 hours or freed.
Since January, a total of 10 people have been arrested and put under investigation for “fraudulent use of personal information”, including four police officers and Ikea’s former head of security.
The case is hugely damaging to the reputation of the flagship Swedish company famed for its family-friendly but infuriatingly difficult to assemble flat-pack furniture.
The accused are said to have requested a range of personal data, including criminal records and confidential details about the targets’ dealings with the police or courts, even as witnesses or victims. Scores of people were alleged to have been snooped on, including a union official.
I know collusion between industry and government authorities could never happen here in the US because we are exceptional. Still, it’s interesting.
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