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ThinkSecret Shuts Down, Settles Apple Lawsuit
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I tend to believe that you are right. I have to give Nick some credit too. He was able to get paid to shut down a site that would NEVER get another decently informed source. There were too many eyes watching that site.
Hickman
I guess by meaning positive, they [ThinkSecret] escaped a prison sentence and Apple has no more ThinkSecret to worry about.
I'm glad they did it in a way that TS were happy with. Hopefully instead of bullying them out of business by suing and then saying they'll drop it so long as they shut down, they actually paid them money to shut down. Wishful thinking I know, but I'd think much more highly of Apple for that.
I can see why Apple did it. Their business thrives on the excitement and buzz generated by rumo(u)rs and speculation, all owed to the fact that they keep things secret until the day of release. Look how busy this site is for instance. People are talking about them *all the time*, wondering when something is going to happen next, and big things can happen at any time. Something special comes out, surprises everyone, then there's all the talking about that *and* more speculation of what comes next. Believe me, having people constantly excited about your company is good for business
So what happens when the rumours are too good, when one of these sites so consistently gets this right? It puts this highly valuable aspect of their business in danger. It'd eventually come to the point where we all know what's coming long before it's announced, and as someone said earlier the Jobsnotes would just be a predictable checklist confirming facts that everyone already knows. There would no longer be any reason to keep the rumours and speculation going because we'd have a source who knows everything. So Apple takes them down, making things more of a mystery again. Very smart.
I can see why Apple did it. Their business thrives on the excitement and buzz generated by rumo(u)rs and speculation, all owed to the fact that they keep things secret until the day of release. Look how busy this site is for instance. People are talking about them *all the time*, wondering when something is going to happen next, and big things can happen at any time. Something special comes out, surprises everyone, then there's all the talking about that *and* more speculation of what comes next. Believe me, having people constantly excited about your company is good for business
So what happens when the rumours are too good, when one of these sites so consistently gets this right? It puts this highly valuable aspect of their business in danger. It'd eventually come to the point where we all know what's coming long before it's announced, and as someone said earlier the Jobsnotes would just be a predictable checklist confirming facts that everyone already knows. There would no longer be any reason to keep the rumours and speculation going because we'd have a source who knows everything. So Apple takes them down, making things more of a mystery again. Very smart.
34 posts positive. Apple has 34+ of their lawyers trolling around these forums???
I never really visited their websites but I heard enough news from them to know that they will be missed.
Although a cursory glance would suggest that they had it coming?
I never really visited their websites but I heard enough news from them to know that they will be missed.
Although a cursory glance would suggest that they had it coming?
i can't say that this is totally surprising. i mean after the lawsuit and all it was coming sooner or later, right?
i hope all parties involved are satisfied at least.
i hope all parties involved are satisfied at least.
I love it when large corporations do not interfere with the "free press". Congratulations to everyone involved.
Not sure what to make of this but it sounds to me like bully tactics of Apple. Apple wasnt in danger of anything and if anything TS was helping to create the buzz for Apple.
The dark side of Apple rears its head. On one side we have a company who creates great innovative products. On the other hand we also have a company who wants to control things according to their will down to what is written about it, what types of computers its customers buy, how they use them, and even what desks they use them (the new keyboard's cord is too short to use on a keyboard tray). I love the OS and most of the products, but the whole mindless sheep angle I'm not too crazy about.
I don't think it reared its ugly head at all. The site was breaking the rules, Apple sued, Nick won. No different than had Apple just purchased the site, which in essence it did.
As stated earlier, but I am going to spell it correctly, Ciao Nick !
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
The outcome is what it is, but I think Apple having ever sued ThinkSecret is suppressive and abusive. In interpersonal relationships one of the hallmark signs of abuse is when one person tells another what he or she may or may not say.
Apple's only discontent should have been with ITS loose-lipped employee. Apple's internal policies are not the law of the land, and so Apple has no legal right to bring a private citizen into the legal system as a forced witness as to who within Apple's own company broke Apple's internal policy.
Secrecy and paranoia are known to run rampant at Apple, but when they start affecting the non-Apple world, Apple has to be seen somewhat as a scourge on society. I realize Nick was only one young guy, so I can't expect him to have to stood for the principle of free speech on everyone else's behalf. I do hope, however, that in general, society rejects the rise of corporatism to the level of being like a fascist government in our lives.
Apple's only discontent should have been with ITS loose-lipped employee. Apple's internal policies are not the law of the land, and so Apple has no legal right to bring a private citizen into the legal system as a forced witness as to who within Apple's own company broke Apple's internal policy.
Secrecy and paranoia are known to run rampant at Apple, but when they start affecting the non-Apple world, Apple has to be seen somewhat as a scourge on society. I realize Nick was only one young guy, so I can't expect him to have to stood for the principle of free speech on everyone else's behalf. I do hope, however, that in general, society rejects the rise of corporatism to the level of being like a fascist government in our lives.
I don't get it.
What do you mean ?
I'm waiting for Santa, he should come in a couple of days and give me Apple stuff.
Are we all talking about the same ThinkSecret?
I'm thinking of the one where the owner/author came across as arrogant in most of his posts. The only Mac rumor site that seemed to have a vendetta against Apple, constantly sniping, taking pot shots, and making insinuations about the company in the articles. The site that illegally requested people to break NDAs and other contracts, and then posted specific information.
The site also hurt Apple's competitive advantage by announcing in-depth details about unfinished and unannounced products. We all love our rumors, but lets face it... if competitors know about Apple products with a six month lead time, they can have competition ready before launch. If consumers think they know when the next product is coming out, and the specs, they hold off on buying the current product-- and if the rumor is a disappointment, they don't buy the actual product either.
My guess is that Apple was about to win a lot of money, and maybe criminal punishment. At that point, Nick had to stick to his guns on not revealing his sources, but had to bail out or pay up. I bet the agreement is that Nick pays a token amount of money to Apple (profits from the site), Apple ends their pursuit of other damages, Nick shuts down the site, and Nick agrees not to talk about the details of the settlement or badmouth Apple in any way.
I'm thinking of the one where the owner/author came across as arrogant in most of his posts. The only Mac rumor site that seemed to have a vendetta against Apple, constantly sniping, taking pot shots, and making insinuations about the company in the articles. The site that illegally requested people to break NDAs and other contracts, and then posted specific information.
The site also hurt Apple's competitive advantage by announcing in-depth details about unfinished and unannounced products. We all love our rumors, but lets face it... if competitors know about Apple products with a six month lead time, they can have competition ready before launch. If consumers think they know when the next product is coming out, and the specs, they hold off on buying the current product-- and if the rumor is a disappointment, they don't buy the actual product either.
My guess is that Apple was about to win a lot of money, and maybe criminal punishment. At that point, Nick had to stick to his guns on not revealing his sources, but had to bail out or pay up. I bet the agreement is that Nick pays a token amount of money to Apple (profits from the site), Apple ends their pursuit of other damages, Nick shuts down the site, and Nick agrees not to talk about the details of the settlement or badmouth Apple in any way.
Law in the U.S. seems to have been replaced with corporate $$$. This is evident everywhere from Apple to our Borders to a CIA agent being outed by its own govt so it could start a war. $$$
I just voted it positive.
I don't know if you are aware that violation of trade secrets is actually a criminal offence. So Apple has about the same right to ask for the name of the leaker as they would have to ask you if you knew the identity of a person who stole a dozen printers from the Apple campus.
Dream on.
Bummer.
Good PR for apple too, showing that they indeed are turning into a fascistic entity.
Next in line will be Macrumors,then 9-to-5,then CNN,then..
Off course businesses have rights to protect their developement/tech,but jumping on some kid running a forum...for chrissake.
Fascists..
As a personal protest against
"Next in line will be Macrumors,then 9-to-5,then CNN,then.." - DOUBT IT!
Has anyone seen the most recent stories that have been put out by TS, MacRumors or LoopRumors?? They are mainly gerneral interest news items of current events that one can find on any Apple News/Magazine type sites or Bloomberg or similar investment sites. I can remember when these rumor sites used to actively compete on who came up with the most salacious, eyegrabbing, mouth dropping rumors, complete with thorough specs and fought over who had the better sources that gave the most accurate information before a MacWorld Expo and then afterwords they would have a roundup of who got what right and what wrong, etc. Those were the good ole days, but thanks to Apple's legal efforts regarding such poignant rumors of actual upcoming Apple Products and their specifications, they have put the "Brass Ones" into a "testicle lockbox".
Just look at the current headlines from "around rumor town"...
Another lawsuit filed against Apple... (what's new)
Software Security Up-Dates...
Apple Holiday shipping guidelines...
Apple in talks to bring the iPhone to China... Japan...
Steve appears on Epcot ride???
New Apple Store to open...
Consumer Reports on iPhone...
Mac users more likely to pay for music than pc users...
And then, when there is a rumor about an actual product it is a safe bet that it is a rehash of someone elses information such as Investment Firm's (input name here), Tech Analyst (input name here), yada, yada, yada, generalizations of the next ... whatever...
Example from a LoopRumors story but can be similarly found on any number of so called rumor websites...
"Apple has long been rumored to offer movie rentals via iTunes, and those rumors became more credible with screenshots posted in September.
Today, PiperJaffray analyst Gene Munster adds his own speculation on what we can expect at Macworld Expo. In addition to the ultra-portable laptop, Munster believes that Apple is developing partnerships with movie studios and will finally offer iTunes movie rentals by mid-2008, with a 50% chance as early as Macworld.
He also speculates that Apple will bump the iPhone capacity up to 16GB while keeping it at the same $399 price point."
Two words... Boring and D'oh!
Just my observations...
"As a personal protest against
,I´ll postpone my purchases of apple christmas presents...Well,at least untill january." - at least until after MacWorld
I really don't see any reason for Apple to have to pay in this situation. Since someone inside their company was leaking info I think they ended up just asking the courts to demand the source be revealed. The court gave two options ...give up the source, or give up the site.
If he gave up the source ...who in their right mind would ever leak another story? If news got out that he handed over the name to save his site, TS would have been dead anyway. He would have ratted out a friend for nothing.
Not to mention this is a huge story and will get him a lot of publicity. I bet he IS happy with the settlement, and it had nothing to do with a pile of cash... at least not directly. (publicity does bring money)
Oh, but the New York Times has published stories against the govenment wishes, but unlike TS, they have suffered no repriasals...
Example...
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8IDMQ180&show_article=1
"The Bush administration and The New York Times are again at odds over national security, this time with new reports of a broad government effort to track global financial transfers.
The newspaper, which in December broke news of an effort by the National Security Agency to monitor Americans' telephone calls and e- mails, declined a White House request not to publish a story about the government's inspection of monies flowing in and out of the country."
http://patterico.com/2006/06/22/new...nd-formerly-effective-anti-terrorism-program/
"The New York Times has a lengthy article revealing classified details about an anti-terrorist program that has, among other things, caught the mastermind of the 2002 Bali nightclub bombing. The publication of the article may spell the end of the program. (H/t Allah.)
Stephen Spruiell has the postcard version. Jeff Goldstein has further thoughts.
I am biting down on my rage right now. Ill resist the temptation to say Ann Coulter was right about where Timothy McVeigh should have gone with his truck bomb. Ill say only this: its becoming increasingly clear to me that the people at the New York Times are not just biased media folks whose antics can be laughed off. They are actually dangerous."
confidentiality makes this look bad
I never, ever trust settlements that are "confidential." It only gives the appearance that everyone had something to hide. I think more people should simply refuse confidentiality as a term of settlement.
I never, ever trust settlements that are "confidential." It only gives the appearance that everyone had something to hide. I think more people should simply refuse confidentiality as a term of settlement.