Three CNET reporters are suing the world’s leading computer maker Hewlett Packard following allegations of violation of privacy.

In the suit that was filed yesterday at a California state court in San Francisco, the three reporters, Dawn Kawamoto, Stephen Shankland and Tom Krazit, who all work for online publication CNET, accused HP of violating their privacy in their hunt for the source of boardroom leaks following ongoing scandals at the technology company last year.

HP has reportedly offered compensation to the reporters, their relatives and charities of their choice but this was rejected in favour of legal action.

The allegations stem from a major scandal at the company last year, in which HP hired private detectives in an attempt to locate the source of information leaks to various news organisations including the Wall Street Journal and CNET. It is claimed that both board members’ and journalists’ phone lines were tapped during the investigations.

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