Saturday, June 15, 2013

HERE WE COME GOOGLE HERE COMES THE LAW SUITS CLASS ACTION

Maryland Attorney Mike Slocumb Comments on Google Privacy Class Action Lawsuit and NSA Surveillance Case
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Baltimore, MD (PRWEB) June 13, 2013

Baltimore, Maryland personal injury lawyer Mike Slocumb today said his law firm is handling a class action lawsuit that has privacy issues similar to the ones being raised in the story involving the National Security Administration and its collection of online content.

Slocumb said his client, Matthew C. Knowles of Maryland, was interviewed by CBS News on June 11, 2013. Knowles is named as a plaintiff in a Google privacy class action lawsuit (Knowles v. Google, Inc., case number 5:2013cv01601) filed April 9, 2013, in California Northern District Court. The lawsuit was originally filed in the District of Maryland.

In the complaint, Knowles alleges that Google’s practice of intercepting emails sent to Maryland residents with Google Gmail accounts amounts to an invasion of privacy and is in violation of the Maryland Wiretap Act.

Knowles alleges in the complaint that the search engine giant routinely intercepts messages sent by non-Gmail subscribers to Gmail accounts without their knowledge or consent. The lawsuit alleges that Google uses the information it gathers to create a targeted advertisement directed at the non-Gmail subscriber.

“There are parallels between our client’s case and the case involving the government surveillance of private citizens,” said Slocumb, a personal injury lawyer with an office in Baltimore. “Search engine companies are monitoring private emails, and the National Security Agency is collecting domestic telephone data. The government’s actions came to light after a former employee of a government contractor blew the whistle. In the case we’re handling, our client is helping to shine a light on what these search engine companies are doing. It’s offensive and in some cases illegal when somebody intercepts communications that parties have a right to believe is sensitive, privileged and confidential.”

Edward Snowden, a former employee of a government contractor who admitted leaking secret government documents about the controversial surveillance programs, may soon be facing charges, according CBSNews.com report published on June 11, 2013, and titled “Feds prepping charges against Edward Snowden: Sources.”

Slocumb said some other states have privacy laws similar to Maryland’s. He said other lawsuits have been filed against Google and Yahoo in California, alleging that the companies violated the California Invasion of Privacy Act. The 12 states with laws stating that both parties must consent to being wiretapped or recorded include California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington and Illinois.

Slocumb said people who live in any of the above-mentioned states may be entitled to be a part of a class action lawsuit. “As personal injury lawyers, we believe in protecting the rights of people who have suffered losses, whether it’s in an accident or it’s through the reckless action of a large corporation. In the case involving Google, we believe the search engine company is intercepting emails and using the content without the senders’ permission. We believe our class action lawsuit is not just about any one person. It’s about protecting the rights of everyone. It’s about sending a message that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.”

About the Mike Slocumb Law Firm

The Mike Slocumb Law Firm helps people who have been harmed through the negligent actions of other individuals or companies pursue compensation. The firm, which can be founded online at http://www.slocumblaw.com/

, handles class action lawsuits as well as car accident claims, medical malpractice, slip and fall accidents, nursing home negligence and more. With offices throughout the country, the law firm works for clients on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing if you don’t win. For more information about what joining the Google privacy class action lawsuit, call 1-800-HURTLINE or complete the online contact form.

The Baltimore office for the Mike Slocumb Law Firm is located at 111 S. Calvert Street, Suite 2700, Baltimore, Maryland, 21202.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/class-action-lawsuit/google-nsa/prweb10824346.htm

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