Technology, Law, and the Workplace: Week in Review (The Google+ Edition)

Earlier this week, I wrote about the speed of change in the world of technology. The next day, Google announced its latest entry into the social media world: the Google+ project. The Google+ project aims to challenge Facebook with features such as "Circles" for sharing of information with smaller groups, "Huddle" for group messaging, and "Hangouts" for video chatting. Although these features exist in other tools and networks, the combination in one platform could ultimately make Google+ a worthy rival to Facebook.

So what does this development mean for employers?  For the time being, not a lot—the Google+ network is still in testing mode and participation is by invitation only.  In the long run, however, Google+ has the potential to alter the landscape of information available on social media.  Unlike Facebook, where a comment on an individual's wall could be seen by every "friend" on the network, Google+ users choose the individuals with whom they wish to share information.

Given the persistent complaints about user privacy on social networking sites such as Facebook, Google+ has a good chance to succeed where other social networking start-ups have failed.  However, it remains to be seen whether this development is a good thing for employers.

Technology in the Workplace

• Pa. Court Finds Facebook Post to be Discoverable Evidence (Delaware Employment Law Blog)
• Protecting Trade Secrets In The Cloud (Trading Secrets)
• From Freelancers to Telecommuters: Succeeding in the New World of Solitary Work (http://draft.blogger.com/(http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmploymentLawArticles/~3/vWfT426aoG0/newscount.php)
• Cell Phone Radiation and Employment Law? (Labor Related)
• Facebook Post Not a "Serious" FLSA Compaint (Lawffice Space)
• “Twitter is like making a press statement” (Ohio Employer's Law Blog)

Technology and the Law More Generally

• DNA on Discarded Clothing and Facebook Photo of Bank Robbery Suspect Lead Police to Her (ABA Journal)
• Government Searches of Cell Phones, Computers, and Digital Property (Digital Passing)
• Social Media and Discovery: Accessing Password Protected Material (GT LE Blog)
• Supreme Court Accepts Case Challenging GPS Surveillance Without a Warrant (ABA Journal Blog)
• Discovery in the Age of Cloud Computing (E-Discovery Law Review)

Technology in the News

• "Virtual Cane" Lets Visually Impaired Navigate Via Sonar (Fast Company)
• In US, Smartphones Now Majority of New Cellphone Purchases (Nielsen)
• Hackers Release More Data From Arizona Police (Bits)
• Google Introduces Facebook Competitor, Emphasizing Privacy (NY Times)
• Medtronic launches mobile app for patient monitoring (MSP Business Journal)
• U.S. Guidelines Aim to Bolster Software Security (NY Times)