Two other newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch’s media empire have been accused of using illegal practices to obtain deeply personal information.

The Sunday Times and The Sun allegedly targeted former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and, according to the BBC, The Sun may have improperly accessed private medical records before revealing to the world that Brown’s son suffers from cystic fibrosis.

Another Murdoch property, the News of the World, was shut down last week amid disclosure of details of that paper’s use of cellphone hacking to invade the voice mail of a murdered schoolgirl.

Murdoch’s papers, which are known to be more of a hobby than a source of revenue for the media tycoon, have been accused of other violations, too. Among the more serious charges, the BBC says, is bribery of police officers.

The practices of these papers, if the various allegations are true, are unsavory, but so is the content, at least where the tabloids are concerned. Is it insensitive to ask what took authorities and the recently outraged public so long to figure out that garbage out means garbage in? — PZS

BBC:

Gordon Brown is said to be “shocked” after it was alleged the Sunday Times targeted his personal information when he was Chancellor.

Documents and a phone recording suggest “blagging” was used to obtain private financial and property details.

The Browns also fear medical records relating to their son Fraser, whom the Sun revealed in 2006 had cystic fibrosis, may have been obtained.

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