Skip to main content

Local Advertising Startup Yodle Sues Former Employees Over Alleged Data Theft


Venture-backed online advertising company Yodle has filed suit against three former employees, one of which is an ex-manager of the company, alleging that the men 'hacked' into its computer systems and stole trade secrets and proprietary data, some of which was sensitive information about current and potential future customers.

Caveat: apparently the three ex-employees now all work for a company that rivals Yodle in the local online advertising space. New York City-based Yodle helps local businesses advertise online by publishing ads on search engines and driving leads to its custom-built client sites.

Venture-backed online advertising company Yodle has filed suit against three former employees, one of which is an ex-manager of the company, alleging that the men ‘hacked’ into its computer systems and stole trade secrets and proprietary data, some of which was sensitive information about current and potential future customers.


Caveat: apparently the three ex-employees now all work for a company that rivals Yodle in the local online advertising space. New York City-based Yodle helps local businesses advertise online by publishing ads on search engines and driving leads to its custom-built client sites.


Former Yodle employees Daniel Mousetis, Christopher Esgro and Ronald Pousson, who once ran Yodle’s Philadelphia operations, allegedly helped competitor Local Internet Doctors to ‘hack’ Yodle’s systems and steal proprietary data, according to a complaint filed earlier this week in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. LID was founded by Pousson together with his partner Frank Norris, who is the fourth defendant in the suit.


Since the ‘hacking’ involved using an old user name and password to gain access to the system, the alleged employment contract violations and data theft clearly weigh more.


Fired June 5, 2009, Pousson allegedly began soliciting other Yodle employees, saying he had found work at a Yodle competitor, WebVisible. In reality, Pousson had founded Local Internet Doctors along with Norris, according to the complaint, to compete with Yodle directly. Beyond soliciting Yodle’s employees, Pousson also allegedly gained unauthorized access to Yodle’s computer systems, the complaint adds.


With that access, Pousson allegedly downloaded as much confidential information as he could, including “competitively sensitive” data on Yodle’s current and prospective customers — names, contact information, monthly budgets and contract terms, according to the complaint.


The suit accuses all defendants of conversion, tortious interference with business and contractual relations and civil conspiracy. It also accuses Pousson, Mousetis and Esgro of breach of duty and loyalty, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of implied contract and violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.


(Source: Law360)


Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.










Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to find ideas to post new article in your blog

How to find ideas to post new article in your blog    阅读原文»   It is true that sometimes being a blogger may face situations where I would personally like to call it your brain juices got dried up as you have pretty much ran out of topic to blog and you are in crisis as your readers are anxiously waiting for your new posts but you are unable to give in. That’s when you will probably come with excuses like I just posted last week although that post was more directly towards the newbies who stop themselves from making money but it’s still pretty much the same even though you consider yourself not a newbie. The fact is that ideas are everywhere and I mean everywhere if you know where to find it and know how to leverage it. You may be surprised that sometimes these ideas are just right in front of you but you are not observant enough to convert these ideas and turn it into your blog post. Today I will share some tips on where to get these ideas and...

Over A Year After Android Launch, ShopSavvy Finally Comes To The iPhone

ShopSavvy was one of the best early Android applications. It launched in October of last year after winning one of the initial Android Developer Challenge top prizes (when it was still known as GoCart). But despite the success it has seen on Android, one question remained: When would it be available for the iPhone. Today, it finally is. Developed by the guys at Big In Japan , ShopSavvy is an app that allows you to use your device as a portable barcode scanner. You point your phone's camera at any barcode and it will read it, do a product look up, and give you information about the product, as well as where you can find it online or at nearby stores and for how much. Obviously, something like this is a window shopper's dream. ShopSavvy was one of the best early Android applications. It launched in October of last year after winning one of the initial Android Developer Challenge top prizes (when it was still known as GoCart). But despite the success it has seen on Android, o...

Lindsay Lohan Breakup Confirmed by Lohan, Locksmith, Police [Gossip Roundup]

Farewell, last season's Suri Cruise fashions. Goodbye, Amy Winehouse's bathing suit. Adieu, humanoid version of Lauren Conrad. And so long, LiLo and SamRon's fairytale romance. Lindsay Lohan confirmed her split with Samantha Ronson and insisted the decision was part of a very healthy and mature effort to " focus on myself ." Upon hearing this, Ronson changed her locks and discussed a restraining order with police, so confident was she in Lohan's ability to turn productively inward. Lohan promptly had a run-in with the police . Who would have imagined such a messy breakup for this model relationship? Courtney Love's lawyer, on her client's drug-fueled plunge into broke-ness: ""Courtney noticed the money was gone when there wasn't any left." Deadpan gallows humor: the only possible response to having Courtney Love as a client. (Besides asking for a hefty retainer.) [ P6 ] Before Lauren Conrad's contract expired in March, MTV...