Apple Computer wins court battle against Macintosh rumor Web sites
March 13th, 2005 Leave a comment Visited 117 times, 1 so far today
Apple Computer wins court battle against Macintosh rumor Web sites
In a ruling that might affect more people than just the defendants, a California judge on Friday ruled against the three independent online reporters who leaked information about the upcoming Apple products on their website. This might lead to Apple forcing the three news sources to divulge confidential sources, which gave them the leaked information.
The court ruled that there is no legal protection for those reporters who publishes a company’s trade secrets. In addition, Apple had also sued 25 of their employees who they suspected of leaking information to these online news resources claiming that the probable leaks violated nondisclosure agreements and California’s Uniform Trade Secrets Act. They also demanded that the news sources in question should reveal their sources.
In return, the online magazines sought a protective order against the subpoenas claiming that if they revealed their sources under pressure from the tech giant, it would erode the media’s ability to report in the public’s interest. However, the judge claimed that the so-called reporters who published ‘stolen property’ were not entitled to protection by law, which applied to routine journalists to hide their sources of information.
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge James Kleinberg said in the ruling: “What underlies this decision is the publishing of information that at this early stage of the litigation fits squarely within the definition of trade secret. The right to keep and maintain proprietary information as such is a right which the California Legislature and courts have long affirmed and which is essential to the future of technology and innovation generally.”
However, Free speech advocates and attorneys have slammed the ruling. Electronic Frontier Foundation attorney Kurt Opsahl said in a statement: “This opinion should be concerning to reporters of all stripes, especially those who report in the financial or trade press and are routinely reporting about companies and their productsâ€. He was representing the news websites in the court case.
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March 13th, 2005 at 4:23 am
The journalists are responsible, and rightly be held accountable. The freedom of speech excuse is used to freely to erode the rights of others.
Apple products are over rated anyway (and overpriced).
March 13th, 2005 at 5:04 am
you did not need to bring apple products being overpriced into this.
you simply are a hater of the subject, the two are different opinions which you should keep to yourself. In the bussiness market where things of this matter actually have an effect on sales and other companies products that can be put out to compete it is a very important market.
“Apple products are over rated anyway (and overpriced).” no, no.
maybe if you utalized your computer more you would appreciate an apple rather then a bug-ridden 300$ if you dont buy it pre-installed os.
March 13th, 2005 at 5:16 am
If we’re strictly talking about protecting a company’s trade secrets here I have to admit they do deserve some protection.
I most certainly do NOT agree with any attempt to erode the first ammendment rights of journalists protecting confidential sources in the reporting of news stories or criminal investigations, BUT…..I’m not sure the fact that these people were essentially leaking confidential information affords them the same first ammendment protection that they’re claiming right to.
March 13th, 2005 at 5:26 am
I agree that it is a different subject and opinion about apple products and how well they are or aren’t or how over priced they may be or not be… But the reporters should be protected from revealing their sources as any other reporter is regardless of the type of news they write for. Apple and other companies need to better protect their info from being leaked by their employee’s. This is all apples problem internaly and not that of outside sources who hear of the news. This judge was wrong and an appeal of his decision will probably prove so.
March 13th, 2005 at 7:50 am
I hate that we have to speculate whenever something is coming out. Then once you buy it a new version comes out. God bless the rumor sites. We need them we live in america and we have freedom. I love apple but i hate sales tactics and this lawsuit was against sales tactics and i with Apple lost
March 13th, 2005 at 8:43 am
F00K APPLE
March 13th, 2005 at 8:45 am
Clearly this is a judgement that is going to be used for other purposes. It discredits internet journalism, which is the only “free” press left in our country. As well, it expands upon the recently made precedent that journalists can be fined or held in jail for not revealing their sources. Apple should find out itself who leaked the sources, and the journalists in question are not at fault.
March 13th, 2005 at 8:45 am
I think Apple can fire their employees if they can find them out on their own. A reporters job it to report news and Apples new product line is news. I am shocked Apple even attempted to sue. But the times are a changing.
This country is done if we the people are that dumb-ed down that we don’t understand what is happening today as examples above. It’s all around us National I.D card. P Act Cameras everywhere. My god, have we all gone nutzzeee! WTFU and save the country!
March 13th, 2005 at 11:16 am
Fools! Of course Apple has the right to protect their trade secrets through litigation. Trade secrets are intellectual property and nobody’s business but the owners’. Some employees seem to have leaked trade secrets; but the people to whom the secrets were leaked idiotically decided to publish the same. Now everybody is busted. Similar thing happened to the NY Times reporters, thought they could hide behind “freedom of the press” in the Valarie Plaime affair. Some dipshits in the White House thought they could get revenge on Plaime’s husband by revealing her status as deep undercover CIA agent in a foreign country. 70 other CIA agents were killed as a result. You all think you can do whatever you want, regardless of consequences, or law. Wait till someone does it to wrongfully & illegally injure YOU, might feel different about it then.
March 13th, 2005 at 11:57 am
i once had a pony. it died.
March 13th, 2005 at 11:58 am
but it was a nice pony, nonetheless.
March 13th, 2005 at 12:04 pm
My pony was obese and died of skin cancer……
March 13th, 2005 at 12:44 pm
I am absolutely discusted that Apple would sue 3 college kids over this crap. Big brother gone mad. Apple legal with a billion dollar budget breaks 3 college kids with $500 between them. Well done Apple.
Kinda makes you proud to be an american doesnt it?
March 13th, 2005 at 1:24 pm
that is so great news for us
March 13th, 2005 at 11:16 pm
What if they had protected their operating system from that dude along time ago…What was his name? Oh ya, Bill Gates. Too little, too late…
March 14th, 2005 at 2:14 pm
the only good mac is a dead mac!
March 15th, 2005 at 1:32 am
but guys… what about my pony?
March 18th, 2005 at 2:12 am
It’s in heaven singing with the pretty angels.
March 18th, 2005 at 11:46 pm
my computer is named after a fruit! derp!
March 21st, 2005 at 4:46 am
Apple’s legal action is not a new behavior. Apple was the company which was more legally active in the bad old days. That is one reason why we ended up with IBM “clones” instead of Apple “clones.” If it had been the opposite way, Apple style computers would have become the standard “PC” and the kind that ran Windows and DOS would be a minority computer system.
March 24th, 2005 at 7:22 am
I fully agree with Jo Margas comment. Shame on You Apple!