It's amazing how the shit hits the fan when a computer company enlists private investigators to spy on the media. These tactics are no worse than what the New York Times, Washington Post, or other big media outlets have done in the past.

Documents have shown that investigators working for HP intruded into the personal lives of seven HP directors, two employees, nine reporters and family members of the targeted individuals. In addition to impersonating those targeted to procure phone records, they also spied on an HP director and his wife, sifted through their garbage, and concocted an e-mail sting to dupe reporter Dawn Kawamoto of CNet Networks Inc.'s technology news site.

When reporters do this its called a "scoop", and they hide behind the First Amendment. They talk about journalistic integrity and the public's "right to know".

But in trying to protect trade secrets by daring to investigate leaks to the media, the HP scandal has "brought federal and state criminal probes, and claimed the company's chairwoman, two directors and two high-level employees".

Just once I'd like to see federal and state criminal probes into say.. publishing national security secrets on the front page of the New York Times.