Seems like an indispensible party was omitted from the case and Google f'd up bigtime in not letting the account holder help resolve Google's & bank's problem proactively. Google is going to have to pay account holder $$. Dumb*$$ Googlawyers.

Just a few questions and thoughts?

How did bank make a screw up like this? And which banking and privacy laws did said bank violate with this screw-up? And will the bank be sanctioned for this screw-up? And why does the bank deserve to be protected? It's kind of like I was forced to get a new credit card because of a security breach by a middle man processor but my bank refused to tell me which middle man processor had allowed the security breach.

The customary and usual privacy rules that Google affords its customers basically mean unless there is a search warrant or a phantom national security threat, account owners info is kept private. It semi-contractual as it's part of the agreement at account creation.

The account owner probably has a torts cause of action against the bank. But unless the damages are substantial or unless the EFF wants to get involved, it wouldn't be worth filing.

Once again others pay for the bad actions of large corporations.

Sounds like rubbish to me. They can't block accounts because of their own stupidity.

Mojo: As they say on slashdot, RTFA. :-) Google did fight this, it's just that they lost. It's not like they just rolled over without a fight.

The bank is the one clearly at fault here. They obviously think they're trying to fix their screwup, but it's the sort of screwup that should never, ever be allowed even the opportunity to come close to actually happening. (A customer list with SSNs as an e-mail attachment? Seriously?!)

The judge might be smoking something illegal in Wyoming too.