Apple moves ahead with assault on journalism
In a San Jose court room Thursday morning, Apple Computer's lawyers will launch the next stage in Apple's efforts to muzzle journalists and to remove journalist protections from prosecution.
Silicon Valley Watcher is part of the Amicus brief in support of the defendants in the Apple v Does case. SVW stands firmly against Apple's moves which are detrimental to society and its need for high-quality media.
Here is more information from Derek Slater, an activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) whose lawyers are in the front lines of this fight:
http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2006_04.php#004571
Court Case to Determine Rights of Online Journalists
Arguments Set for April 20 in San Jose
San Jose - On April 20, EFF Staff Attorney Kurt Opsahl will argue Apple
v. Does – a case with broad implications for journalists and their right
to protect the confidentiality of their sources – before a San Jose,
California, appeals court.
Apple Computer, Inc., has sued several unnamed individuals, called
"Does," for allegedly leaking information to online reporters about an
upcoming product code-named "Asteroid." As part of the suit, Apple has
subpoenaed Nfox, the ISP for PowerPage publisher Jason O'Grady,
demanding that the ISP turn over the communications and unpublished
materials O'Grady obtained while he was gathering information for his
articles. Apple has also been granted permission to issue subpoenas
directly to Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) clients PowerPage and
AppleInsider for similar information.
The trial court held that if a journalist publishes information a
business claims to be a trade secret, this act destroys constitutional
protection for the journalist's confidential sources and unpublished
materials. EFF and co-counsel Thomas Moore III and Richard Wiebe have
appealed, asking the appeals court to correct the error and restore the
well-settled constitutional protections for a journalist's confidential
information.
"The California courts have a long history of supporting and protecting
freedom of the press," said EFF Staff Attorney Kurt Opsahl. "We are
looking forward to the opportunity to ask the Court of Appeal to correct
a ruling that endangers all journalists."
WHAT:
Apple v. Does (O'Grady v. Superior Court)
WHEN:
April 20, 9:30am
WHERE:
333 W. Santa Clara St. Suite 1060
San Jose, CA 95113
For more on the Apple v. Does case:
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Apple_v_Does