SAN FRANCISCO - Three reporters for CNET Networks Inc sued Hewlett-Packard Co today, alleging the computer and printer maker violated their privacy in its hunt for the source of boardroom leaks.
The suit in California state court in San Francisco also alleges HP broke state business-practices rules, CNET,an online technology newsletter, said on its website.
The suit by reporters Dawn Kawamoto, Stephen Shankland and Tom Krazit seeks unspecified damages.
HP spokesman Ryan Donovan told CNET the company was "disappointed by their decision and will defend itself." He said the company had apologised to the reporters and made "a substantial settlement offer" to the reporters, their relatives and charities of their choice.
The suit follows a scandal that rocked the Silicon Valley technology giant last year after disclosures that its board had hired private investigators to determine who on the board had leaked information about sensitive boardroom discussions to news outlets including CNET and The Wall Street Journal.
The investigators used subterfuge to obtain private phone records of board members and reporters, HP said last year. The scandal led to the departure of HP's then-chairman, Patricia Dunn, and prompted a US congressional investigation of the tactics used in the investigation, known as pretexting.
A California judge in June dismissed misdemeanour fraud charges against HP's former ethics chief and two private investigators involved in the scandal. Charges against Dunn were also dismissed.
