Google Wanted Spirit Airlines Staff Data; Flight Attendants Won Privacy Safeguards

At a glance

Google tried to buy data from bankrupt Spirit Airlines, including staff emails and work records. After a flight attendants' union objected over privacy, the parties agreed to a deal that strips identifying details and keeps the data from being linked back to people. A judge still needs to approve it.

Key points

1. 1

   Spirit Airlines suddenly stopped operating, and it agreed to sell its staff emails and work records to Google for about $10 million.

2. 2

   The union opposed the sale, saying personal information could be exposed.

3. 3

   Under the deal, a third-party company will remove details that could identify people and make sure the data cannot be linked back to them.

4. 4

   Sensitive records such as employee medical files and internal investigation documents will be excluded from the sale.

Why it matters

Companies are increasingly buying workplace files to train AI models. This deal shows one way to protect workers' rights over the data they create.