This paper gives a hypothetical scenario a closer look. The scenario is based on a real world conflict at a real company. The scenario involves an imaginary consultant hired to help the company get through the conflict, and includes looking more closely at the conflict, who in the company is affected by it, who is hired as the consultant and their qualifications, and what the consultant recommends.
¶ … Government's Proposed Investigation into Google
Google, the world's largest search engine, has recently come under the investigation of government authorities in both the United States and the European Union for possible violations of the privacy of users. This announcement was made in March of 2012, and it involves people who have used Google with the Apple-based Safari browser. U.S. And EU authorities maintain that Google violated privacy laws by intentionally circumventing the firewalls on the Safari browser that are meant to prevent companies adding cookies to the browser. By circumventing the Safari firewall and installing cookies, Google was able to track the browsing habits of Safari users in violation of the privacy those users were assured when they began to use Safari.
Google has claimed it was unaware of the privacy breach and that it was not intentional. The company stopped the practice of circumventing the Safari firewall in February of 2012 after the Wall Street Journal informed the company of the violations. Google has claimed that any breach of the Safari browser was done to simply install a code on its ads that allowed for a "Google +1" icon to be installed on those ads so users could share ads with friends. The company has said it did not intend to track the browsing habits of Safari users and that this was unintentional on their part. The privacy violations have affected anyone who uses a Safari browser, including Mac computer users, as well as people who browse the Internet using iPhones or iPads. In particular, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States is looking into whether Google's actions violate an agreement the company made with the FTC last year to avoid misrepresenting its privacy practices to consumers. If Google is found to be in violation of this prior agreement, or of any existing U.S. Or EU privacy laws, it could face billions in fines.
As this issue is being discussed today, all of Google's top company executives are present, as well as a number of shareholders of Google stock, and Google's team of lawyers. This is a very important issue for the company, because if fines are levied against Google for the Safari browser breach, it could result in crippling fines that could bankrupt the company. The FTC mandates a fine of $16,000 per day per violation. Because millions of people were affected by the Safari breach over the course of an as yet indeterminate period of time, this could result in hundreds of billions of dollars in fines. Though Google is a large, financially stable, and wealthy company with deep pockets, this sort of fine would be too much for even Google to handle without difficulty. The possibility exists that the company could go bankrupt if these fines are levied. Therefore, all of the top people at Google, as well as its top stock holders, have a particular interest in seeing this issue resolved in Google's favor, as their incomes depend on it. Google's lawyers also have an interest in seeing this resolved amicably for the company, as a large portion of their income comes from their work for Google, and because it will shine a favorable light on them as attorneys to be able to win this case for their client.
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