> Google's accusations are very explicit about what these people were doing:
Are they? If you can quote for me where Google actually states these people leaked material, I'll concede the point, but they don't. Google says two things:
1. These four individuals searched for information that was outside of their job scope
2. Information these individuals searched for (along with other information) was shared externally
They don't claim that the individuals that did 1 also did 2, in fact the statement is carefully worded to not make that claim, but to still heavily imply it. The untrue (or at least, unsubstantiated) insinuation in this case is that any of these people leaked things to the press.
I think it's extremely difficult to read Google's statement and come to this conclusion. Again, do you have any evidence to suggest that what your saying is true? Do you know that the people who did the information gathering didn't do the leaking? If there's a source that states that, I'd love to read it.
> Do you know that the people who did the information gathering didn't do the leaking?
Were this criminal court, the burden of proof would be on Google to show that people who did the information gathering did do the leaking.
This is, of course, the court of public opinion, so one's own biases will come into play on who one assumes is telling the truth. But Google's internal statement (at least, what of it we've seen) doesn't connect the dots tightly enough to eliminate reasonable doubt.
Are they? If you can quote for me where Google actually states these people leaked material, I'll concede the point, but they don't. Google says two things:
1. These four individuals searched for information that was outside of their job scope
2. Information these individuals searched for (along with other information) was shared externally
They don't claim that the individuals that did 1 also did 2, in fact the statement is carefully worded to not make that claim, but to still heavily imply it. The untrue (or at least, unsubstantiated) insinuation in this case is that any of these people leaked things to the press.