> Additionally, Apple learned about Liu’s use of the schematic because he used it on a Mac mini which later synced via iCloud to the MacBook he took from Apple. Apple now also wants access to that Mac mini.

I'm very curious about the privacy implications of this. I know that anything I do and store on my company's laptop can be tracked, but I hadn't considered that if I forgot to sign out of my personal Gmail on it that they could legally search that information.

The files syncing to the company laptop's disk is a layer of nuance that makes this situation tricky to evaluate.

> I forgot to sign out of my personal Gmail

Never, ever, ever sign into personal mail/messaging on work machines. Even the appearance of having done so just sets up for bad things.

This was kinda iffy 20 years ago, now its crazy to do. We all have phones now, there's no good reason to do this.

> I'm very curious about the privacy implications of this. I know that anything I do and store on my company's laptop can be tracked, but I hadn't considered that if I forgot to sign out of my personal Gmail on it that they could legally search that information.

If it's work-related, work computer only. If it's anything personal, personal computer only. This is especially true for situations where companies are using screen capturing tools that capture the screen every 'x' seconds[0].

The seeming convenience of using your work computer for everything isn't worth the risk but some people don't consider the legal implications, as you've noted in your anecdote.

Once your personal message to Bob or Jane enters an official record because it's included in the eDiscovery (even if accidental) result(s), it's over.

Better to not have a surface risk like that, than assume the process will keep your personal data safe.

0 - https://desktime.com/features/time-tracking-with-screenshots

Techies tend to associate access control with legal control. Nothing could be farther from the truth, especially when it comes to legal discovery and subpoenas.

And it gets worse. The 4th amendment protects against unreasonable searches from the government without a warrant, not all searches. If you have evidence on your personal devices that a judge believes could be relevant to the outcome of a criminal or civil trial, be prepared to give it up or face a potential evidence tampering / obstruction charge. Doesn't matter if you never signed into your personal Gmail on your work computer or not. In a trial where work records are important, your non-work devices and accounts can be subpoenaed if there is a good reason to believe you have work materials on your Gmail or personal laptop. Like if in the first review of work e-mails, they find you've e-mailed one work file from your work to your personal Gmail one time or even just have been signed onto your personal Gmail while at work.

> I hadn't considered that if I forgot to sign out of my personal Gmail on it that they could legally search that information

I don't think this is true, this would still be unauthorized access on your employer's end and would be considered illegal. They're not allowed to pose as you to access your services iirc.

You should obviously still sign out (or never sign in in the first place) of course!

at a previous job something we impressed on to people was you should not use work laptops for personal business, not because we want to go trawling through your personal stuff, but because if your work laptop becomes discovery material for legal proceedings, do you really want that lawyers you don't know digging through your personal email?

(relatedly, we told people not to sign into work stuff on personal computers because then they might have to turn over those computers for discovery)

I think I've heard about this before, apparently Apple encourages its employees to use the same iCloud account for personal and business use.