Flight attendants freaked out that Google is buying tons of Spirit employee data

Key Points:

• Google won a $10 million auction to acquire Spirit Airlines' extensive employment and workplace data, excluding personal customer information, with a third-party appointed to de-identify the data before transfer.
• The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) raised privacy concerns, arguing that worker data receives less protection than consumer data and that sensitive employee information could still be exposed despite de-identification.
• Google committed to not intentionally re-identifying individuals in the data and stated the acquisition aims to improve AI and products, but critics warn that combining datasets could risk re-identification.
• The AFA requested the court to delay approval of the sale until Google excludes flight attendant data and provides notification when third parties access the data, emphasizing the need for equal privacy protections for workers.
• Privacy advocates, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, oppose using employee data for AI training without consent, highlighting broader concerns about data privacy in bankrupt company asset sales.