Apple has long had a reputation for secrecy, badgering various members of the media for leaking details it considered internal. The recent raid of Gizmodo blogger Jason Chen’s house and computer seizure shows that Apple is determined to pursue the case criminally rather than civilly, which some consider a mistake.
“There is no way that this is not negative in some way for the company,” commented Roger Kay of Endpoint Technologies Associates. “The question here is what is Apple hoping to get ”
“Apple has been drifting into looking like the wrong side of their famous Big Brother ad for some time,” adds Rob Enderle, a Silicon Valley technology analyst. “This could easily turn out to be one of the biggest mistakes the firm has ever made because the investigation … could showcase other Apple problems as this story snowballs.”
Chen recently came into possession of a prototype iPhone, allegedly left in a bar and then sold to Gizmodo. Gawker Media, owner of Gizmodo, says the seized computer equipment is covered by California’s shield laws, which legal experts in the San Mateo district attorney’s office are examining before the equipment is examined.
“We can do this one completely aboveboard,” said chief deputy district attorney for San Mateo County, Stephen Wagstaffe. “We’re not going to lose any evidence by waiting to search this equipment, and we’re not going to invade anyone’s privacy if we determine not to use it.”
Source: MarketWatch
