Compliance Toolkit

Apple suit under fire

Ina Fried CNET News

Published: 08 Mar 2005 09:55 GMT

Lawyers for Think Secret publisher Nick Ciarelli are asking a judge to throw out an Apple lawsuit that charges the Mac enthusiast site with violating trade secret law in reporting details about an unreleased audio device. In support of its motion to dismiss, Think Secret has filed statements from journalism professor Thomas Goldstein of the University of California at Berkeley and former San Jose Mercury News columnist Dan Gillmor discussing the implications on freedom of speech and on the freedom of the press that the case presents.

The suit is separate from another action, in which Apple is suing the unnamed individuals that have leaked details on several products. In that case, Apple is suing only those that leaked the information, though it is trying to subpoena three sites, including Think Secret, in an effort to learn the leakers' identities. A judge has tentatively ruled on Apple's side in that case, though a final ruling has not been issued.