The people at Gizmodo are a bunch of Mac fan boys, you know, Apple Mac fan boys, and the story here is that this poor guy at Apple had his prototype iPhone 4G in a bar in the Bay Area somewhere, I forget exactly where it was, but it was a beer garden, and for some reason he had his prototype phone — I’m sure they have to test these things at Apple before they put ’em on the market — he had his off campus. He had it in the bar. He left it there on a stool and eventually the Gizmodo guys found out about it because they were offered a chance to buy the phone by somebody who found it on the bar stool. Well, they then published pictures and reviews of everything about the new phone. They ripped it open. They looked to see what’s inside it. They gave away a whole lot of potential secrets that Apple competitors could really use. There’s a reason for corporate security here. The mobile smart phone business is highly competitive and the Gizmodo guys practically gave away as much as they could about what’s in this phone that’s supposed to hit in June.
Well, lo and behold, a short time later — oh, and then Apple asked for the phone back, since the Gizmodo guys admitted that they had it. So Apple asked for the phone back, and the Gizmodo guys, “Okay, but we want your request in writing.” So Apple’s legal counsel sends the request in writing. Now, you Gizmodo guys, and you Gawker guys, this is where you erred. Your response to Apple’s letter was juvenile and snarky and totally unnecessary. I don’t know that Apple is behind these charges that had been brought or might be brought against one of the Gizmodo editors, because this is a criminal, not a civil complaint. Apple may not have any control over whether or not the DA out there levels charges. If it was a civil case then Apple could say, okay, go after ’em or not go after ’em, but if it is a criminal case, if the DA out there thinks that Gizmodo essentially knew it knowingly bought a stolen phone, traded in stolen merchandise, then the Gizmodo editor, Jason Chen, may not be protected by the Shield Law. The Shield Law says that journalists cannot be charged and cannot have search warrants executed against their home or their office or whatever, but in this case, if it’s stolen property, if that’s the angle the cops are going for then the Shield Law may not apply, and this little editor could be in for some trouble.
Now, the Shield Law does not apply if Chen, the Gizmodo editor, is suspected of breaking the law. The Shield Law applies when he is protecting someone else who broke the law, but he’s not allowed to break the law. A journalist is not allowed to break the law. You’re allowed to shield sources and this kind of thing. So journalist shield laws are about journalists being able to protect sources who may have committed crimes, but it’s not a license for journalists to commit crimes. So it’s all going to come down to whether or not the DA and the cops out there think Jason Chen committed a crime, not whether Apple thinks so, but whether the DA thinks so.
There’s much more in the full transcript here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “John Gee” for the heads up.]
@ Chris
“Guys, the point of this story is to summarize this topic for listeners, not Apple fanboys like us.”
In that case, he should have used shorter sentences. >.<
@Bob
Which would be fine if it was an “on occasion” link. But MDN continually posts CLEAR right-wing and politically charged articles. There are plenty of other Mac News sites out there that are not as small minded.
I am currently retooling my RSS feeds and MDN will be removed shortly.
@Dallasm
It the DA leverages criminal charges, Apple has not say, etherway. This is a criminal investigation not a civil suit.
@Worse and Worse,
Good riddance.
Other than the source, there was nothing about this story that whatsoever that was in any way, shape, or form “right-wing” or “politically-charged”. I’m sure you’d be just as angry if MDN had referenced an article about the iPhone 4G debacle in the Huffington Post or a monolog from Rachel Maddow, right? Sure you would have.
Wow, all the hatred leveled at Rush… It’s no surprise of course, but what’s priceless is that you’re all PRECISELY the hateful human beings you accuse Rush of being. Go look up the word “hypocrisy”, people!
@Worse & Worse
Aren’t you gone already?
DANG… saw this feed to late to make popcorn…
@ ecrabb
” It’s no surprise of course, but what’s priceless is that you’re all PRECISELY the hateful human beings you accuse Rush of being.”
Rush is a bigot. That means he hates large, generalized groups of people.
Conversely, there are plenty of reasons to hate Rush on an individual basis.
For the average Joe listener, he laid it out pretty quickly and cleanly so they could follow along, even if it’s a story they didn’t care about, it matters to Rush, so now his 20 million+ listeners know.
As for the hate on Rush, I don’t get it, he’s an entertainer, but then again, I’m not a big political “Hate on this person!” or “Hate that person!” for what they believe, just drop the hate all around and we’d be better off. Civility seems far gone. Hate Bush, hate Obama, pretty sad.
Hey, Keith Olbermann did a bit last night about this iPhone theft. Why is there nothing about that, but there is about Rush? Could it possibly be that MDN is a right-wing hit whore?
Hi Loretta…
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“Some will sell their dreams for small desires or lose their race to rats…” Rush (the band). Fits Gizmodo’s situation doesn’t it??
Leave it to MDN to quote this worthless slime ball.
I’m with SPJ and Worse and Worse, this flagrant right-wing pandering is lame. This is a Mac news site. I would go to drudgereport.com if I cared what that junkie thought of anything.
@ecrabb: If the post over at Huffington Post had been straight from Arianna Huffington herself, it WOULD bother me. Leave political crap from any side off MDN! Same with Maddow. Leave politics OFF OF MDN! I bet there are tons of centrists and liberals who also use and love Apple products. Do you really want to lose those readers just to flaunt your political views?
To all of those who say “good riddance”, you’re essentially saying “I don’t care if MDN loses money from ad views because my political emotions are more important than having more support and pay for this Mac news site”. GROW UP.
The only way Gizmodo can say that they didn’t know it was stolen is if the person that sold it to them was or represented them to be an Apple employee. However, if they believed that this person was not an Apple employee, then the phone had to have been stolen as IT IS A PRE-RELEASED MODEL. And if that’s the case, then they knowingly purchased stolen goods.
This should not be a difficult case for the D.A.
This is a rare instance were I agree with Rush. I think that this particular issue is neither left or right so I won’t make any snarky comments about him.
“Ever notice how he speaks in short, choppy sentences like a 3rd grader?”
Gotta speak to the education level of your audience.
“When a gay person turns his back on you, it is anything but an insult; it’s an invitation” – Rush Limbaugh
Don’t flatter yourself honey. Gay guys are in WAY better shape than you are.
Flush the Rush
C1 – “Ever notice how he speaks in short, choppy sentences like a 3rd grader?”
That is so you and Libs in general can comprehend what he is saying.
C1 – “Rush is a bigot. That means he hates large, generalized groups of people.”
So if large, generalized groups of people hate Rush like the libs, Dems, NOW organization, etc., then they are BIGOTS! Is that what you’re saying…
@ Scot Murphy – “Hey, Keith Olbermann did a bit last night about this iPhone theft. Why is there nothing about that, but there is about Rush? Could it possibly be that MDN is a right-wing hit whore?”
No. It’s just Keith Olbermann is not interesting. Besides, I’ve heard stories on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and according to you, MSNBC, and as Rush states with regards to all that so called “media”, Rush is equal time!
Flush The Rush.
“So if large, generalized groups of people hate Rush like the libs, Dems, NOW organization, etc., then they are BIGOTS! Is that what you’re saying..”
No, actually it’s exactly the opposite of what I’m saying. That’s okay, I use pretty big words. Eat your Wheaties and drink milk. SOmeday when you’re a big boy you might understand basic concepts.
“Now, now…”
Oh yeah, you’re also a pathetic coward. That’s just you, by the way, not all Gops.
Oh and when all of you get done with your snide hateful tripe and idiotic jokes regarding Rush…
I hear you are needed in Arizona to protest the new “profiling” law! I guess if there was ever a group of people that know profiling, it’s Libs!
C1… I don’t need any Wheaties to handle the likes of you, darling!
“An ounce of perception,
a pound of obscure”
– Rush (the band)