The U.S. Department of Justice removed thousands of documents from the database in the Jeffrey Epstein case after victims complained about the disclosure of their personal information.
On Friday, the agency published approximately three million documents related to the Epstein case investigation. However, shortly after publication, thousands of files were removed due to discovered privacy violations.
What Happened?
Attorneys for the victims stated that the documents revealed personal data of nearly a hundred individuals, including email addresses and nude photographs. The victims themselves called the publication "humiliating" and "re-traumatizing".
Justice Department's Response
Agency representatives explained the incident as a "technical or human factor" and assured that they continue to check documents for personal information.
According to the publication terms, the federal government was supposed to completely remove all details that could identify the victims.
Consequences
Victims' attorneys approached a federal judge in New York, demanding the removal of the entire document website, calling the incident "the largest one-day privacy violation in U.S. history".
