[UPDATED with more information.]
So exactly why did Facebook unleash such a massive legal fury on 02138 magazine yesterday over documents the publication posted online?
Because, said sources, those documents–including an application to Harvard University–contained Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s Social Security number, the full name of his girlfriend and the address of his parent’s house in New York.
Now, apparently, the Beacon’s on the other foot.
The independent magazine, which is aimed at Harvard alumni, put up a series of court documents in a downloadable format here it obtained from a court in Massachusetts related to a hard-hitting story it recently published about the origins of Facebook at Harvard, and had inadvertently not redacted that sensitive personal information in all places at first.
It has since removed those references, but many online readers had already downloaded the PDF files.
“It was a regrettable error and we have fixed it,” said Richard Bradley, executive editor of the magazine.
Wrote the magazine’s spokesperson in a statement to BoomTown: “1) It was an oversight and as soon as 02138 was alerted they took it down. 2) The parents’ address is listed in the white pages and they are the only Zuckerbergs in Dobbs Ferry. 02138 nonetheless took it down as a courtesy. 3) This was not brought to 02138’s attention by Facebook.”
Harsh!
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