Apple attacked over sources row

[edesignuk]

Civil liberties group the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has stepped into a legal fight between three US online journalists and Apple.

Apple wants the reporters to reveal 20 sources used for stories which leaked information about forthcoming products, including the Mac Mini.

The EFF has asked the California Superior court for an order to stop Apple from pursuing the sources.

It argues that the journalists are protected by the American constitution.

The EFF says the case threatens the basic freedoms of the press.

Full Article.

 

[broken_keyboard]

I wonder how different the story would be if it were someone selling State secrets. It always seems there is a double standard: the Govt are entitled to their secrets but not private individuals.

 

[absolut_mac]

Full Article.

Thanks for the update.

This looks like it's going to be an entertaining and enlightening case.

On the bright side, after the dust has settled, everyone, Apple included, will have a clearer understanding of what their rights are, especially in relation to journalists.

 

[Counterfit]

Since has have journalists been constitutionally protected from revealing their sources?

Spurred in part by Taricani's case, Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) introduced a federal reporters' shield law in Congress Friday. Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia have laws that protect journalists from revealing their sources in state courts, but no such law exists for the federal courts. Congress' current session will end before the bill can be acted on, so it will have to reintroduced in the 109th Congress, which convenes in January.

http://www.rcfp.org/news/2004/1122inresp.htmlhere

 

[altair]

and also

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/15/n...&en=a92aaf2677f94137&ei=5094&partner=homepage

 

[IJ Reilly]

Since has have journalists been constitutionally protected from revealing their sources?

Since the First Amendment.

And yes, before you say it, the protections aren't absolute. Journalists have been held in contempt of court and even jailed in some cases, but not in others.

 

[IJ Reilly]

More about journalism, protection of sources and the Constitution:

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072492171/student_view0/chapter10/chapter_overview.html

 

[Counterfit]

It seems it all depends on your personal definition of "freedom of the press" I suppose...