4 ms·

For people who can’t make it past the paywall— large tech companies who want to make an economic deal with public officials and politicians (for example, approv

For people who can’t make it past the paywall— large tech companies who want to make an economic deal with public officials and politicians (for example, approval of a new data center in their city) have them sign NDAs such that they cannot say which company they are working with. This results in behavior like a city council reviewing a tax break for a company without knowing who the company is, and prevents the public from criticizing because NDAs prevent communication to the public on the matter.

Causality1 5y ago
How in the world is it legal for someone to sign an NDA when working in a public capacity? The entire concept of being able to sign your fundamental human rights away is a bit nuts to me. It's as if it were legal to sign up to get murdered.
- moralestapia 5y ago
  Most NDAs don't hold during trial. Also, you have to prove that it was broken, what was released, how, etc... none of that is easy. But people don't know/are scared anyway, so what the article describes does happen anyway.
- bluGill 5y ago
  Ask a lawyer about Freedom of Information Act. I'm reasonably sure it isn't legal, but by the time you finish all the court cases the information is public because the company is operating thus making it not worth fighting in court.
- kop316 5y ago
  I know at least for USA federal employees, because of the below law: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1905 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1905 They usually do not sign NDAs (and can get in trouble if they do, especially if it interferes with their offical duties).
mobilio 5y ago
Here is link: https://archive.md/MSYv8 https://archive.md/MSYv8
nojokes 5y ago
Not sure that not disclosing your conflict of interests is legal.
nine_k 5y ago
I think the state code should forbid state officials from entering agreements that force them to conceal information material to do their official job. It's even more straightforward than conflict of interest limitations. If the code does not do that, it should be amended.

Causality1 5y ago

How in the world is it legal for someone to sign an NDA when working in a public capacity? The entire concept of being able to sign your fundamental human rights away is a bit nuts to me. It's as if it were legal to sign up to get murdered.

moralestapia 5y ago
Most NDAs don't hold during trial. Also, you have to prove that it was broken, what was released, how, etc... none of that is easy. But people don't know/are scared anyway, so what the article describes does happen anyway.
bluGill 5y ago
Ask a lawyer about Freedom of Information Act. I'm reasonably sure it isn't legal, but by the time you finish all the court cases the information is public because the company is operating thus making it not worth fighting in court.
kop316 5y ago
I know at least for USA federal employees, because of the below law: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1905 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1905 They usually do not sign NDAs (and can get in trouble if they do, especially if it interferes with their offical duties).

mobilio 5y ago

Here is link: https://archive.md/MSYv8 https://archive.md/MSYv8

nojokes 5y ago

Not sure that not disclosing your conflict of interests is legal.

nine_k 5y ago

I think the state code should forbid state officials from entering agreements that force them to conceal information material to do their official job. It's even more straightforward than conflict of interest limitations. If the code does not do that, it should be amended.