OpenAI illegally barred staff from airing safety risks, whistleblowers say

Re:OpenAI illegally barred staff from airing safety risks, w... by helsinkiandrew on Tuesday July 16, 2024 @02:56AM (#40974173)

Matt Levine put this as a great idea for a lucrative job in his Bloomberg column (where hedge fund can be replaced with any company):

> Take a job at a hedge fund.

> Get handed an employment agreement on the first day that says “you agree not to disclose any of our secrets unless required by law.”

> Sign. Take the agreement home with you.

> Circle that sentence in red marker, write “$$$$$!!!!!” next to it and send it to the SEC.

> The SEC extracts a $10 million fine.

> They give you $3 million.

> You can keep your job! Why not; it’s illegal to retaliate against whistleblowers. Or, you know, get a new one and do it again.

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-07-15/openai... (archive: https://archive.ph/SWLh0)

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Re:OpenAI illegally barred staff from airing safety risks, w... by judiisis on Tuesday July 16, 2024 @07:20AM (#40975477)

Maybe don't violate laws to be fined

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Re:OpenAI illegally barred staff from airing safety risks, w... by nobodyandproud on Tuesday July 16, 2024 @07:42AM (#40975612)

You skipped a step: First, enforce the rules and actually (and readily) impose the fines to indicate the laws are meaningful even for certain segments of society.

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Re:OpenAI illegally barred staff from airing safety risks, w... by johngladtj on Tuesday July 16, 2024 @08:03AM (#40975727)

Everything is securities fraud

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Re:OpenAI illegally barred staff from airing safety risks, w... by potatototoo99 on Tuesday July 16, 2024 @07:41AM (#40975601)

Safety risks are not trade secrets.

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Re:OpenAI illegally barred staff from airing safety risks, w... by helsinkiandrew on Tuesday July 16, 2024 @07:58AM (#40975693)

> Safety risks are not trade secrets.

No, but safety risks are potential securities law violations and a confidentiality agreement that inhibits employees talking to the SEC about anything freely is a SEC violation in itself

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Re:OpenAI illegally barred staff from airing safety risks, w... by tossandthrow on Tuesday July 16, 2024 @08:31AM (#40975919)

I don't understand. Isn't that a case where "allowed by law"?

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Re:OpenAI illegally barred staff from airing safety risks, w... by helsinkiandrew on Tuesday July 16, 2024 @08:45AM (#40975995)

> I don't understand. Isn't that a case where "allowed by law"?

If you mean an NDA that says “you agree not to disclose any of our secrets unless required by law” which would clear you if questioned in court or by police etc. I think the SEC see that language as trying to stop employees/whistleblowers going to the SEC with concerns (which people aren't 'required' to do)

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Re:OpenAI illegally barred staff from airing safety risks, w... by gessha on Tuesday July 16, 2024 @10:24AM (#40976925)

I think you have to be an avid Money Stuff reader to have “everything is securities fraud” drilled into your brain.

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Re:OpenAI illegally barred staff from airing safety risks, w... by iamacyborg on Tuesday July 16, 2024 @08:33AM (#40975933)

Yeah that got a laugh out of me this morning

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