OH! What if it was a confidence trick designed to entrap unweary people.

I visited with an executive while waiting for a flight. The gentleman presented himself as the soon to be CEO of a fairly large corp.
Some of the stuff he told me about his corporation made me think he was just making stuff up for conversation.
The next week, his picture was in USA Today annoucing his position ass the new CEO of said corp…

Episode 26 of McAfee’s AudioParasitics Podcast (http://podcasts.mcafee.com/audioparasitics/ ) discuses the topic of “Verbal Data Loss” where people can leak ridiculous amounts of information simply by having a conversation in a public place. All the encryption in the world can’t stop somebody from opening their mouth. :-)

I’ll preface the following with my stance as a bit of a devils advocate and firm believer in Occam’s razor that attempts to never underestimate the power of stupidity;

Not knowing anything about the conversation – was the topic something that was intended to be over heard?

Viral strategy can be very subtle and include those who don’t have a clue they are included.

when its security vs convenience, the latter always, always wins!

people are just to damn lazy to care, until it bites them where it hurts the most…

Hey, it could have been worse. They could have been driving. Personally, I may not have said anything directly to them or ratted them out on the web, but I would have at least pulled out my phone, pretended to dial a number and said “Hey Lenny…yeah, sell all my stock in (whatever company here)” in a somewhat loud voice. That would probably have sufficed. Bonus points to watch the blood drain from the face of at least one of them.

I wish I could get people fired for messing up a good coffee shop sit down. I have to admit that capital punishment has came to mind a few times after a stress full day at work and someone decides to argue with their wife over their cell phone at my favorite coffee shop.

I was thinking HP before I read the comments. I agree with Dave.

I’m confused why they choose to do this in public rather than in their own boardroom or more private place. Even having a special room in a restaurant would be slightly better. That’s just unbelievable. I think not saying anything is not the right thing, though, regardless of the repercussions. But then, it’s your call.

Now that it’s out in the open, I wonder if someone will be checking out the local Starbucks near you for a repeat.

You should take out your camera/camera phone and take a photo of them (not surreptitiously), and if they ask you why, tell them you need it to accompany the blog article you’re currently posting about their conversation.

Seriously, how are they going to learn if you don’t make it obvious to them one way or another that they are screwing up?

Simply stupid. It’s ironic that I was just on the phone with a Microsoft corporate rep a few moments ago and we were also discussing some fairly sensitive matters and I can assure you, had I heard the telltale sound of a speakerphone (you always know), my first comment would be the same as always… “Who else am I speaking with?” and my comments would be immediately guarded.

I don’t have an issue with speakerphones per se (loud speakers is another matter), but for myself, if I am using a speakerphone, I always announce who is with me (if anyone), I state that I am in fact on a speakerphone (in case they didn’t already know) and I never do it in a public venue.

This stuff really isn’t all that difficult. I genuinely believe its inexcusable.

Seriously. If you don’t want to blog about those five idiots, fine. People reading the name will probably abuse this information.

However, you should print your blog entry and send it to HR or the CEO (or both) of the company in question. By not doing anything, you are effectively protecting them and helping a bad cause.

Think about it.

The real question is: did they know it was me and not their boss on the phone? Did I sound convincing?!? ;)

Let’s just say that I know for a fact that many of this company’s executives read this blog and leave it at that.

James, I’m ashamed of you. Sitting next to a table of HP execs and you didn’t pimp the hyrbid tablet form factor to them?

So, James, having seen the lameness of that company’s executives, did you get online and buy some of their stock to short? ROTF…

If you don’t quietly bring this to someone’s attention at the company they work for, they will never correct their behavior. Stupidity tends to accrete, Lord knows what their next mistake will be !!!