A group of Epstein survivors filed a class action lawsuit against the Trump administration and Google on Thursday over the disclosure of personal information found in the release of files related to the late sex offender over the past several months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe United States, acting through the DOJ, made a deliberate policy choice to prioritize rapid, large-volume disclosure over protection of Epstein survivors\u2019 privacy,\u201d the plaintiffs said, adding that the Justice Department \u201couted approximately 100 survivors of the convicted sexual predator, publishing their private information and identifying them to the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the government later withdrew survivors\u2019 personal information from the publicly released files, the survivors said that \u201conline entities like Google continuously republish it, refusing victims\u2019 pleas to take it down.\u201d Specifically, the plaintiffs said their personal information continues to be displayed in search results and AI-generated content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSurvivors now face renewed trauma. Strangers call them, email them, threaten their physical safety, and accuse them of conspiring with Epstein when they are, in reality, Epstein\u2019s victims,\u201d the complaint reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Justice Department and Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a Feb. 2 letter to Judges Richard Berman and Paul Engelmayer in the Southern District of New York, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said the Justice Department was “in the process” of removing documents that included “victim-identifying information.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Department has worked all hours through the weekend from the point when the first victim-related concerns were raised,\u201d the letter said. \u201cThe Department now has taken down several thousands of documents and media that may have inadvertently included victim-identifying information due to various factors, including technical or human error.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The letter added that the Justice Department was “continuously evaluating its processes and making further enhancements as necessary” to address victims\u2019 concerns while complying with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. President Donald Trump signed that measure into law in November. The Justice Department had made assurances that it would protect the survivors’ privacy in the release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The plaintiffs are seeking minimum damages of $1,000 per survivor from the Justice Department and punitive damages \u201cin amounts sufficient to punish and deter\u201d Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group also asked the court to order Google to immediately and permanently take down the survivors\u2019 personal information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The survivors said Google has the technological capability to remove content in response to legal requests about sensitive personal information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGoogle\u2019s refusal to use such tools in this case shows its conduct is reckless,\u201d in \u201cdisregard for the wellbeing of Plaintiff and other victims, and willful,\u201d the lawsuit says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Survivors have notified Google about the “unlawful disclosure” multiple times in February and March, the complaint says, adding that the content remains viewable on Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The survivors said the Justice Department has violated the Privacy Act of 1974 by disclosing survivors\u2019 information without consent. The plaintiffs also brought civil claims against Google over violations of California\u2019s unfair competition law, invasion of privacy and negligent infliction of emotional distress, as well as violations of California civil code that targets doxxing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“No survivor of sexual abuse should have to live in fear that a stranger can type their name into a search bar and instantly find out about their worst trauma. Yet that\u2019s exactly what happened here,” Julie Erickson, one of the plaintiff attorneys, said in a statement Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The DOJ opened the door by unlawfully disclosing victim-identifying information, and Google is holding that door wide open, even after being warned about the damage it\u2019s causing.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n