My lawyer friends all know I am “legally challenged” – so don't take anything I say about legal issues as representing any particular expertise.
But on the news today I saw a story about a drug manufacturer showing the consequences of making false technical claims like those I objected to here in other walks of life:
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — The maker of OxyContin, Purdue Pharma LP, agreed Thursday to a $600 million penalty as part of a plea deal with the Justice Department on a felony charge of misleading and defrauding physicians and consumers, the government said.
Three of the company's executives, including its CEO, general counsel and former chief medical officer, have separately agreed to pay $34.5 million in penalties. The company and the three men appeared in federal court Thursday to plead guilty.
The company also agreed to subject itself to independent monitoring and a remedial action program.
“Purdue … acknolwedged that it illegally marketed and promoted OxyContin by falsely claiming that OxyContin was less addictive, less subject to abuse and diversion, and less likely to cause withdrawal symptoms than other pain medications – all in an effort to maximize its profits,” said U.S. Attorney John Brownlee.
There should be accountability and penalties for those who consciously mislead people like the Marlin County school board, convincing them there is no risk to privacy by preying on their inability to understand technical issues. It should be mandatory, when selling technology with potential privacy implications, to explain the threats and mitigations in an objective and public way.
