Murdoch Stew 2: Now With Computer Hacking!

Rupert Murdoch‘s now fighting not only a two-front war in the phone hacking scandal, it’s branched out in America to include computer hacking as well:

The FBI is widening its investigation of News Corporation’s activities within the US to look at whether alleged computer hacking by one of its subsidiaries was an isolated case or part of a “larger pattern of behaviour”, Time magazine is reporting.

Time suggests that the FBI inquiry has been extended from a relatively narrow look at alleged malpractices by News Corp in America into a more general investigation of whether the company used possibly illegal strong-arm tactics to browbeat rival firms.

This is in reference to the Floorgraphics case, where Murdoch threw a ton of money at the Floorgraphics people to settle the civil suit that was in progress, then bought Floorgraphics immediately afterwards. But just because something’s been settled in civil court doesn’t mean it can’t be tried in criminal court if evidence of criminal wrongdoing exists — hence the FBI’s involvement.

That popcorn’s starting to smell really good right now.