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Words in the News

Swedish furniture giant accused of spying
2 March 2012

The Swedish furniture giant Ikea has been accused of secretly accessing police files to
spy on customers and staff in its stores in France. The company is alleged to have paid
private security firms to carry out checks on over 200 people. Ten Ikea employees are
planning to issue a formal complaint. Christian Fraser reports for the BBC.

Ikea is a company with a stringent code of conduct for its suppliers but less stringent it

seems for the security firms it has employed here in France. Their head of security paid

over 100 dollars a time for secret police files held on a criminal database.

Over 200 people were investigated, with requests for criminal record and vehicle

registration checks, though one email calls for information on someone thought to have

made "anti-globalisation remarks" - someone who had raised concerns internally of a

possible eco-terrorist attack. It's reported the information was used in deciding whether

to fire staff members and also in resolving disputes with certain customers.

In response the company told the BBC that Ikea has now opened a full investigation to

bring to light all relevant information. "We strongly disapprove," said a spokesman, "of

any illegal activity which impinges on important values like the respect of privacy."

Illegal access to these files carries a penalty of up 400,000 dollars and five years in

prison.

Words in the News British Broadcasting Corporation 2012

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bbclearningenglish.com
Vocabulary and definitions

stringent strict

suppliers providers of goods or services

criminal database record of illegal activity

investigated subjected to inquiries to discover information about

them

anti-globalisation against growth on an international level

raised concerns said they were worried

to fire
to terminate the employment of

resolving
finding a solution for

to bring to light
to discover, to make public

impinges (on)
negatively affects

More about this story:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17210573

Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2012/02/120302_witn_ikea.shtml

Words in the News British Broadcasting Corporation 2012

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bbclearningenglish.com