Think Secret's Nick dePlume Revealed

Nick dePlume has a name, after all. Apple filed a lawsuit against the pseudonymous founder and editor of Think Secret, who correctly predicted two just-announced Apple products and has been the subject of several cease-and-desist letters from Apple in the past; dePlume's identity has now been revealed. Reader willibeast writes "The Harvard Crimson reports that 'Apple Computer, Inc. is suing a Harvard undergraduate who runs a popular Mac information website for disclosing details about unreleased Apple products, including two unveiled at this week's Macworld conference. Nineteen-year-old Nicholas M. Ciarelli '08, known on the internet as Nick dePlume, has run the site, thinksecret.com, since age 13.'"

Comments

Why Nick and not the informant?

[Gr33nNight]

What Apple should be doing is finding out who is suppling Nick with this information. He isnt just pulling this stuff out of his ass.

Re:Why Nick and not the informant?

[slashnutt]

Apple's lawsuit alleges that Think Secret is illegally soliciting Apple employees to violate confidentiality agreements and disclosing that information online without Apple's permission.

The core problem is that any information your employee tells me is free for me to use. Social engineering has to be thwarted by educating Apple's employees just like some government employees. If you divulge secret information owned by the government you go to jail; you divulge company secrets you get fired or if you have an agreement to work for the company it could have a damages clause forcing you to pay compensations. Case closed

"I employ the same legal newsgathering practices used by any other journalist," he wrote. "I talk to sources of information, investigate tips, follow up on leads, and corroborate details. I believe these practices are reflected in Think Secret's track record."

Based on the little evidence I have been given, I see no legal stance from Apple that will hold up in court.

Evil, big monopoly Apple

[Stanistani]

Great public relations coup, Mr. Jobs.

Remember when you and the Woz were just kids in a garage?

Apparently not...

Re:Is Apple Serious?

[Anonymous Coward]

There is nothing wrong with this. He isn't the one violating any laws. He never signed an NDA. Matt Drudge does this exact same thing, if you look at the news submission box in the lower right of drudgereport.com.

Re:Is Apple Serious?

[TheViffer]

Pretty much what I think it is also. But its not like Nick will have too much of a problem finding a lawyer or two that will do this pro bono. I would think there is one or two .. or huge boat loads of lawyers or soon to be lawyers running around Harvard. Great second semester assignment if you ask me. Would be fun to walk into a court room with 50+ lawyers.

Re:Dear Apple...

[2nd Post!]

Get your priorities straight QuantumG.

If you want to complain about what Apple is doing, restricting free speech is the wrong target. Apple is protecting itself, legally, forthrightly, and up front, according to the law.

Someone violated an NDA to tell Nick DePlume these 'trade secrets'.

Apple is trying to get out of Nick DePlume the identities of those who violated those NDAs.

To put it abstractly, Apple and a third party signed a contract. Said third party violated the contract without Apple's knowledge. Apple finds out about the violation from Nick DePlume. Apple then tries to find out from Nick DePlume who violated the contract.

If there is anything scummy in what Apple is doing, it's in not being gentler and more friendly towards 19 year old Nick, but that's not what you're complaining about.