Apple loses blogger case

[ktinkel]

From the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press:

Feb. 14, 2007 · Apple Computer has been ordered to pay more than $750,000 in attorney fees and court costs in a case that pitted the electronics giant against a group of online journalists who posted information about an unreleased Apple product on the Web.

[ . . . ]

In December 2004, Apple sued 25 unknown individuals who Apple said may have leaked information about a then-unreleased Apple product. Details about the product appeared on several Apple-focused online magazines, including O'Grady's PowerPage, Mac News Network and Apple Insider.

To determine the identity of the alleged leakers, Apple subpoenaed PowerPage owner Jason O'Grady, Mac News Network publisher Monish Bhatia, and Apple Insider publisher and editor Kasper Jade. Apple also subpoenaed Nfox.com, which hosted the journalists' e-mail accounts, and Nfox.com owner Karl Kraft.

The journalists claimed protection underthe California reporter's shield law and the First Amendment. Although the trial court found in Apple's favor on the grounds that the journalists disseminated trade secrets, the appeals court reversed and said the California shield law applied, regardless of the trade secret issue.

Interesting case. Of course, few states have reporter shield laws.

[roaryg]

I'm still mad at Apple for defeating the Beatles recently.

[ktinkel]

Originally Posted by roaryg

I'm still mad at Apple for defeating the Beatles recently.

Oh, c’mon — no one can defeat the Beatles! <g>

[Michael Rowley]

I'm still mad at Apple for defeating the Beatles recently

Didn't you see recently that Apple Corps and Apple have reached a settlement that will involve loads of dosh being paid by the latter to the former? Perhaps it was only in the UK papers. So you can expect lots of Beatle songs via Apple's whatsit—is it iPod?—, that thing that kids stick in their ears.