tech
‘Adding insult to injury’: Flight attendants accuse Google of creepy deal to access ‘confidential’ data for AI in Spirit Airlines transaction
Google’s $10 million purchase of a vast archive of Spirit Airlines’ internal data—which includes employee emails—has run into opposition from flight attendants, who argue that the privacy protections attached to the deal do not adequately cover sensitive information. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents flight attendants nationwide, filed an objection in US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York challenging the proposed sale of the airline’s digital records to Google.
TL;DR
- Flight attendants are opposing Google's $10 million purchase of Spirit Airlines' internal data, including employee emails.
- The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA filed an objection in US Bankruptcy Court, claiming inadequate privacy protections for employee data.
- Google states the data is for improving products and AI models and will not contain personal identifying information, with data to be de-identified by a third party.
- The union argues that the sale agreement's de-identification process might still allow confidential records to be traced.
- The union also notes that flight attendants have not yet been paid accrued vacation, sick leave, and other compensation.
- The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA does not aim to stop the sale but seeks the removal of all identifying information related to individuals and employees.