Thoughts on Think Secret
Published on 26 Dec 2007 at 3:41 am.
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Filed under apple, rant, think secret, thinksecret.
Think Secret is finally gone. I can’t say that I’m surprised or that I’ll miss it.
There seem to be quite a few people out there arguing whether or not the publisher, Nick Ciarelli, was a journalist. I don’t think that’s the point really. For argument’s sake we’ll just say he was. Then the question becomes whether or not he published information knowing his sources were breaking an NDA. Let’s just say he didn’t. In fact, let’s just say he’s completely innocent of anything illegal.
So why would Apple pick on an innocent? The answer is simple, they owe it to their shareholders.
Imagine if Think Secret continued to publish Apple’s product plans in advance of Apple’s official announcements. Shareholders will lose faith in Apple to maintain it’s trade secrets. Apple will lose the benefit of it’s own marketing buzz. And let’s not forget that when Think Secret gets something wrong, Apple suffers as well for not living up to expectations.
In short, even if Think Secret weren’t breaking the law, Apple had to do something. Apple owes that to its shareholders, and that is a law.
I think what bothers me most is how people often referred to Mr. Ciarelli as a “college freshman.” As if that’s some excuse to break the law. What if Nick were a elderly grandmother living on social security? Should Apple say “well, she’ll die soon so we’ll just let it slide?” Of course not. If anything, being a student at Harvard should have instilled an increased respect for the law in Nick, not given him an excuse to break it.
As if you couldn’t tell, I believe Think Secret and Nick Ciarelli guilty of illegal activity. It’s unfortunate that he was probably paid to stop publishing, instead of being sued in to the poor house. Paying him off was probably cheaper and faster than a lengthy court battle. Apple lived up to its obligation to its shareholders, and that’s what matters in the end.
