Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein sue the US government and Google for revealing their identities in unredacted documents, alleging privacy violations and ongoing trauma.
WASHINGTON: Survivors of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have filed a lawsuit against the US government and Google. The legal action stems from the mistaken publication of victims’ unredacted identities in a massive document release.
The US Department of Justice released over three million files related to the Epstein investigation in January. Officials failed to properly anonymise approximately 100 survivors, publishing their private information.
The plaintiffs state the DOJ “outed approximately 100 survivors of the convicted sexual predator, publishing their private information and identifying them to the world.” They allege this violated the Privacy Act of 1974.
Even after the government withdrew the information, online entities continue to republish it. The lawsuit specifically accuses Google of displaying victims’ personal data in search results and AI-generated content.
“Even after the government acknowledged the disclosure violated the rights of the survivors and withdrew the information, online entities like Google continuously republish it, refusing victim’s pleas to take it down,” the plaintiffs added.
The case filing details the severe impact on the survivors’ lives. It states they “now face renewed trauma” from strangers contacting, threatening, and accusing them.
Journalists at the New York Times discovered dozens of naked photos with visible faces within the released files. This compounded the privacy breach for those identified.
Epstein was convicted in 2008 for soliciting sex from minors. He died in a New York jail in 2019 before facing trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
The lawsuit against Google cites violations of California privacy laws. It includes claims for invasion of privacy, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and unlawful business practices.