A Google signal is pictured throughout the firm’s presentation of an in depth funding plan for Germany exterior the Google workplace in Berlin, Germany, August 31, 2021.
Annegret Hilse | Reuters
Google must be sanctioned for failing to protect chat messages between workers associated to an antitrust case introduced by Epic Video games, a federal decide in California dominated on Tuesday.
The corporate “adopted a ‘do not ask, do not inform’ coverage for preserving messages, on the expense of its preservation duties,” the decide stated within the submitting.
The decide didn’t but decide what sanctions Google ought to face, writing that, “the Court docket wish to see the state of play of the proof on the finish of reality discovery. At the moment, plaintiffs will likely be higher positioned to inform the Court docket what might need been misplaced within the Chat communications.”
Google faces related allegations about destroying potential proof by the Division of Justice in its antitrust litigation in opposition to the corporate. A Google spokesperson stated on the time of the DOJ’s submitting that it disagrees with the DOJ’s claims.
The most recent submitting included a string of messages between Google executives debating whether or not they wanted to maintain chat historical past on points that may relate to the litigation.
Epic alleged that Google didn’t retain chat messages between workers that it ought to have preserved whereas beneath a litigation maintain. Google allegedly left it to workers to find out when to activate and off their chat historical past when discussing issues related to the authorized proceedings. Epic stated Google ought to have ensured these messages had been preserved by default. Reveals offered by Epic appear to indicate that Google workers noticed chats as a much less formal approach to talk.
The decide, James Donato, made clear the case “is not going to be selected the idea of misplaced Chat communications,” however stated deciding on the right non-monetary sanction requires extra proceedings.
Donato ordered Google to cowl affordable attorneys charges associated to the movement over the evidentiary concern.
“Our groups have carefully labored, for years, to answer Epic and the state AGs’ discovery
requests and we have now produced over three million paperwork, together with hundreds of chats,” a Google spokesperson stated in an emailed assertion.
Epic didn’t present an announcement for this story.
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