Think Secret Seeks Free Lawyer - Talk Root - PC Hardware, Software and Web Development forums

ArunK · 01-14-2005, 05:50 PM

Quote:

The 19-year-old publisher of a website facing a lawsuit over an article about a top-secret $500 Apple computer said Friday he can't afford to defend himself.

Apple Computer is suing Harvard University student Nicholas Ciarelli's website, Think Secret, alleging it illegally published company trade secrets. The Jan. 4 lawsuit also targets the website's unnamed sources for the leaks.

Ciarelli, whose identity as the site's publisher and editor was only revealed this week, is not named as a defendant. But he still needs a lawyer, and said he is hoping to find free or low-cost legal help to argue that he deserves First Amendment protection and used proper news-gathering techniques to break news about the Mac mini computer and other inside information about Apple.

It would really suck to have Apple or for that matter any huge company breathing down throat for releasing secret information about their upcoming products. I read another article where they interviewed Ciarelli and he said he has been a fan of apple since he was 11 I think. I don't know if they are trying to make an example out of him, or some other reason they are really trying to go after him, who knows.. Its sites like his, ThinkSecret.com, and other Apple rumor/fan sites that keep people interested in their products.

imported_Spencer · 01-14-2005, 07:34 PM

Yes, they should be happy that they are getting the publicity. I really think that Apple is overeating to all of this. They should just settle down and be happy that people are interested in their products.

imported_Errant · 01-15-2005, 07:05 AM

I think they are more interested in finding out who leaked this information... Apple does have a strict confidentiality code within it's company, just like IBM or Motorola or LG or Intel or any technology company/information company. I don't think they want to make an example out of anyone, they just want him to tell them who his sources are.