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posted by chromas on Saturday April 14 2018, @08:17PM   Printer-friendly
from the proportionality dept.

El Reg reports:

Apple has gone full swivel-eyed, control-freak crazy on its own employees with a demented internal memo decrying information leaks.

"In 2017, Apple caught 29 leakers. 12 of those were arrested", says the terror missive from Cupertino, ironically leaked to Bloomberg. "Among those were Apple employees, contractors and some partners in Apple's supply chain."

It then threatens long-lasting harm to anyone stupid enough to let anyone know anything about its products before, you know, it launches them and tries to sell as many as humanely possible.

"These people not only lose their jobs, they can face extreme difficulty finding employment elsewhere", the letter rants.

[...] "Leakers do not simply lose their jobs at Apple. In some cases, they face jail time and massive fines for network intrusion and theft of trade secrets both classified as federal crimes."

What a lovely company.

Unless you're the FCC.


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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by Virindi on Saturday April 14 2018, @08:31PM (13 children)

    by Virindi (3484) on Saturday April 14 2018, @08:31PM (#667032)

    Only superbigco gets to use the federal government as their own personal police force. The sad thing is, such threats are perfectly credible.

    Since there seems to be no way to prevent governments from being complicit in this kind of stuff, the only alternative is to have more penalties (which only apply to the biggest) to level the playing field. It's not fair to small and medium business that the big guys can do this and they can't; it puts them at a competitive disadvantage (among other things). And thus, the big get bigger.

    I propose a 'progressive' tax on corporate income. The larger you are, the more you pay. And perhaps make it a sales tax, so that the business can't be "located in Ireland".

    Another good idea might be preventing the largest companies from buying any other companies.

    Really the goal should be preventing huge companies with too much influence. Such entities are dangerous both to the healthy operation of the marketplace, and to the fair functioning of government. Small and medium business can't act like thugs in the market or law, they simply can't get away with it. But everyone gives the huge a free pass.

    • (Score: 4, Insightful) by The Mighty Buzzard on Saturday April 14 2018, @09:31PM (6 children)

      by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Saturday April 14 2018, @09:31PM (#667060) Homepage Journal

      I find it odd that someone who would almost certainly declare themselves a liberal would jump through so many hoops to avoid a solution grounded in liberty, as the words share the same etymological root. If you disapprove of how a government is using the power you gave it, reduce its power. Simple, based in personal liberty, and undeniably effective. The Rube Goldberg approach is never going to get you anywhere you want to go.

      --
      My rights don't end where your fear begins.
      • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @10:15PM (3 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @10:15PM (#667076)

        I like the idea of reducing government regulation where it makes sense, but I also like

        Really the goal should be preventing huge companies with too much influence. Such entities are dangerous both to the healthy operation of the marketplace, and to the fair functioning of government. Small and medium business can't act like thugs in the market or law, they simply can't get away with it. But everyone gives the huge a free pass.

        as a solution to our too-big-to-fail corporate problem. Take away person status of corporations and very possibly limit the size of businesses based on X employees and Y costs+profits or some combo that would make sense. For the good of society and the planet we need to focus much more heavily on local business, stop needlessly shipping crap across the world and keep local economies alive.

        As usual a combo of both approaches seems like the best actual solution.

        • (Score: 3, Interesting) by The Mighty Buzzard on Sunday April 15 2018, @02:43AM (2 children)

          Who said anything about regulation? You regressives always think regulation is the answer to everything. All fascists do though, so that's understandable. If you want the government to be unable to act as a corporate police force, remove that specific power from them. The answer to bad laws is never more laws, it's removing the bad laws.

          --
          My rights don't end where your fear begins.
          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 16 2018, @12:16PM (1 child)

            by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 16 2018, @12:16PM (#667593)

            and yet none of the mighty assholes who argue about less regulation doesn't go to Somalia or Venezuela, or any other country where the government is pretty powerless.

            no, it's way better to stay in the "greatest democracy" on Earth, behind the biggest government, and lecture on the internet, while hoping that maybe your government will pass another bill reducing taxes (for you, not for those freeloading bastards living on social security)

      • (Score: 4, Interesting) by Virindi on Sunday April 15 2018, @07:13AM (1 child)

        by Virindi (3484) on Sunday April 15 2018, @07:13AM (#667189)

        I find it odd that someone who would almost certainly declare themselves a liberal would jump through so many hoops to avoid a solution grounded in liberty

        HAH! No, sir. I am a Ron Paul voter, a Gary Johnson voter.

        I believe strongly in free association, economic or otherwise. The problem I am talking about here, though, is one of the practicalities of government. In a perfect world, companies would be allowed to do whatever they wanted in a voluntary marketplace, and the huge would never be able to win by thuggery because they would have just as much legal backing as Joe's corner shop. And they would only be able to keep winning in the marketplace as long as they sold the best products and services (best defined as what people want to buy at the price people are willing to pay).

        However, real government is messy. In practice, how do you propose to create a legal system where a company with billions of dollars is equal under the law to one with $10? Such a system would have to be COMPLETELY different than anything on the planet right now. I am not sure how it could be done. And because of this reality, entities which are large enough get to operate in many ways which are contrary to ideal minarchist principles (such as intimidation, being given special treatment because they are "the biggest employer in town", etc). It is a completely natural consequence of human nature.

        To put it another way, I believe the purpose of government is to shield the public from attacks by others, and to create a level playing field of fair laws. The reason I am not an anarchist is that in the absence of government, some other entity would become the de facto government. This is the same thing that happens with huge companies, on a lesser scale, and more subtly. It comes down to the definition of government: government is not really just the group of people who fly a particular flag, but the entire system which can exert control over an individual. The flag, or name, is immaterial to me; I desire the system under which each individual has the maximum capability to direct the course of their own life.

        Consider a 19th century "company town". Does it matter at all that the company is not "the government"? The person working there has to live by the rules of the company, and it is maintained by coercion. The way the company keeps things running is by keeping people from leaving. From a realistic perspective, this is no different from living under an oppressive government.

        • (Score: 3, Interesting) by The Mighty Buzzard on Sunday April 15 2018, @10:25AM

          Ah, so a classical liberal instead of what gets called one today. Er, that's even worse. You're falling into the same trap as the AC above when you damned well know better than to think that bigger government is the answer to your big government woes.

          --
          My rights don't end where your fear begins.
    • (Score: 4, Interesting) by frojack on Saturday April 14 2018, @11:46PM (5 children)

      by frojack (1554) on Saturday April 14 2018, @11:46PM (#667093) Journal

      Its a civil matter. The police have no business getting involved.

      Theft of 100 iphones, sure. Call the cops.

      Leaking of facts, or information? Civil matter. Fire them, then try to Prove an actual damage in court.

      --
      No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 15 2018, @12:59AM (3 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 15 2018, @12:59AM (#667106)

        Data just wants to be free, right?

        • (Score: 2) by Gaaark on Sunday April 15 2018, @02:26AM (2 children)

          by Gaaark (41) on Sunday April 15 2018, @02:26AM (#667128) Journal

          His brother, too.

          --
          --- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 15 2018, @02:37PM (1 child)

            by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 15 2018, @02:37PM (#667275)

            "Why?"

            • (Score: 3, Informative) by Gaaark on Sunday April 15 2018, @10:50PM

              by Gaaark (41) on Sunday April 15 2018, @10:50PM (#667407) Journal

              It's a long forgotten story.

              --
              --- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
      • (Score: 1, Troll) by Ethanol-fueled on Sunday April 15 2018, @01:38AM

        by Ethanol-fueled (2792) on Sunday April 15 2018, @01:38AM (#667114) Homepage

        Disagree.

        Not all of the leakers are arrested, just some of them. Leaking in corporate America is something you don't do, and if you do it, then you should not be stupid enough to be caught. This applies to America, though, Apple's factories are in China and Chinks have no morals -- especially with regard to stealing trade secrets and copying features.

        And who the fuck thinks Apple is somehow "moral" anyway? It's corporate fucking America. Every employee of every sane company anyfuckingwhere in America signs statements saying that they consent to any kind of monitoring when using any kind of company property or conducting official business. The onboarding paperwork employees sign give their employers wide latitude to legally restrict and monitor employee behavior while working and take appropriate action.

        This is just more liberal Silicon Valley "we can say and do whatever the fuck we want at work" biting itself in the ass. When you work for a big name like Apple, you are a whore. You are likely underpaid for what you do, unless you are a minority, then you are overpaid for making powerpoints and being the token "experience engineer." When you work for a big name, you are working for the sake of having worked for a big name. You repeat the indoctrinations word-for-word and are worked and abused like rented mules. You may even have to suck some dick. It's basically like working in the gay part of Hollywood.

        Now, leaking from a corporate/military/other governmental agency is moral when you report that your employer dumps millions of gallons of toxic shit into a river people depend on for drinking water, or plans to start WWIII with a false-flag. But leaking plans for an upcoming product is just plain fucking stupid.

        As for the threats about future employment, that is total bullshit. Assuming that you didn't make the news for what you did, there are many ways around that. Use bullshit references who are friendly to you. Bullshit a reason for leaving, corporations like Apple will out of fear of being sued not answer any questions except how long you were employed. If you weren't there for long then just omit the experience entirely and bullshit some side-jobs.

  • (Score: 2) by black6host on Saturday April 14 2018, @08:31PM

    by black6host (3827) on Saturday April 14 2018, @08:31PM (#667033) Journal

    I mean really, is anyone surprised? If not Apple then it would have been, or is, another organization. People and companies just say and dictate what they want "truth" to be. What do they have to lose, a lot of people might fall for it. Of course, leaks are all the rage these days so good luck Apple! :)

  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @08:33PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @08:33PM (#667034)

    I said for years. MS did not learn its ways from no one. They copied it from Apple and executed on it better for a long time. Apple has pretty much always been this way since woz left. They build closed source eco systems that are 'better than everyone else'. They went from cool computer to hack on (apple 2) to do not dare to even think about opening this box up. They did it with odd shaped screws and stickers to discourage it at first. One of the few lessons it took MS awhile to learn. That they treat their employees this way is no surprise. Jobs loved the idea of 'one more thing' zinnger. It works but ONLY works if no one talks. So they have created a system of fear and persuasion to make sure that zinnger continues to work. Their last innovative product was the iPad/iPhone. They have just been refining it since. It is wildly successful for them. But innovation is not something I would associate with Apple anymore. Refinement maybe but not innovation.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @10:19PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @10:19PM (#667077)

      They never really innovated, they just polished. I guess you can call that innovation if you want, but personally I found their products to simply be a combination of using good hardware and designing ooh-shiny interfaces. Oh yeah, and a fuck load of marketing to appear "elite". I mean why else would average people take iphones as a status symbol?

      • (Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Sunday April 15 2018, @01:41AM

        by Ethanol-fueled (2792) on Sunday April 15 2018, @01:41AM (#667116) Homepage

        Oh, they innovated all right. The innovated the no-button mouse. If Steve Jobs weren't already dead I would have hung him with one.

  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by looorg on Saturday April 14 2018, @08:38PM (2 children)

    by looorg (578) on Saturday April 14 2018, @08:38PM (#667036)

    Perhaps they should just get a giant screen in their new fancy space age office and they can run that advert they ran for the Superbowl in 1984. It was clearly Orwellian enough and they where apparently supposed to be the hero ... The irony is so delicious.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtvjbmoDx-I [youtube.com]
    http://www.mac-history.net/apple-history-tv/ads/2011-07-12/1984-the-famous-super-bowl-spot [mac-history.net]

    • (Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @08:49PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @08:49PM (#667042)

      It's NDA violation, it's breach of contract and it can effect the companies bottom line. I presume that is the argument they use to make it a criminal issue - IMHO a step too far.

      There are many employment situations where you are not allowed to talk about events publicly. If you sign an NDA, you abide by its terms. Just as you would expect client confidentiality from medical personnel, accountants or lawyers. I really don't see a problem with Apple seeking punitive civil remedies against leakers.

      • (Score: 5, Insightful) by archfeld on Saturday April 14 2018, @11:39PM

        by archfeld (4650) <treboreel@live.com> on Saturday April 14 2018, @11:39PM (#667091) Journal

        I agree. The problem I do find is that the so-called civil dispute involves federal law enforcement arresting the 'alleged' offender for what is clearly a civil contractual issue. Reminds me of the early days of railroad expansion and the Pinker-thugs, or the union busting agents employed by 19th century factory owners.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_busting [wikipedia.org]

        --
        For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by KiloByte on Saturday April 14 2018, @08:51PM (3 children)

    by KiloByte (375) on Saturday April 14 2018, @08:51PM (#667044)

    This is yet another thing that makes me sad I can't boycott Apple any more than I already do.

    --
    Ceterum censeo systemd esse delendam.
    • (Score: 3, Funny) by realDonaldTrump on Saturday April 14 2018, @10:29PM (1 child)

      by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Saturday April 14 2018, @10:29PM (#667080) Homepage Journal

      Let me tell you, boycotts work. Apple wouldn't turn over the San Bernardino cyber. Because of "privacy." So I boycotted Apple. Then our FBI went to Israel, they went to a company called Cellebrite. And Cellebrite hacked that cyber (very smart guys). Then Tim Cook comes to me, he asks, "Mr. President, are you still doing the boycott?" And I said it's too late to turn over the cyber, that ship has sailed. But if people see me with an iPhone I'll look very foolish. So he says, "we'll make you a gold one." And I said, let's shake on that, we have a deal. And the Gold iPhone happened -- this isn't one of those crazy Internet photos where it turns out to be blue with black trim. But they can't give it to me, because of the Domestic Emoluments Clause. Thinking of selling my Kinder Morgan stock to pay for it!!!

      • (Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Sunday April 15 2018, @01:43AM

        by Ethanol-fueled (2792) on Sunday April 15 2018, @01:43AM (#667117) Homepage

        Methinks James Comey and friends were feeding you some bullshit about, among other things, not being able to ask Apple for the data.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 15 2018, @11:11AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 15 2018, @11:11AM (#667233)

      And use what other big evil alternative?

  • (Score: 5, Funny) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Saturday April 14 2018, @09:05PM (1 child)

    by MichaelDavidCrawford (2339) Subscriber Badge <mdcrawford@gmail.com> on Saturday April 14 2018, @09:05PM (#667051) Homepage Journal

    Back in the day the nuPrometheus Group mailed Apple's Color Quickdraw source code to I think 30 people.

    Apple got the FBI to investigate, which eventually led to an agent showing up at John Perry Barlow's doorstep. Perhaps you've heard of Mr. Barlow.

    Barlow wrote an article about how curious and fascinated that Federal Man was about computers. Before investigating Barlow the agent was completely unfamiliar with all that newfangled stuff.

    That the FBI helped Apple out led me to ask the FBI to find my stolen MacBook Pro. It had the source code to a product I was developing. I wasn't concerned about the cost of a replacement or the loss of the source because I had a backup. I was really worried that a larger better-funded competitor might buy my source from the thief.

    So I visited the Portland FBI office and asked for their help.

    They had Agent Tom speak with me. Agent Tom is one of the FBI's Cybercrime specialists.

    And he didn't have a clue.

    When I made that plainly apparent to him he got furiously angry then demanded I leave. I offered a friendly handshake but he refused.

    Get This:

    The thief gave me my MacBook Pro back.

    I watched him email postmaster@apple.com to find out how to reset my Apple ID's password, but that's all he did. A few days later I got an email from his "housemate":

    "My housemate found your computer on the MAX," - Portland's light rail - "would you like it back?"

    "Yes."

    Silence, then a few days later:

    "Were you on CNN?"

    "Yes," they wanted my take on that embedded systems consultant who burned down his own house then crashed his fully-fueled airplane into the Austin IRS building. They also wanted to know what IRS Section 1706 was all about.

    "Meet me at this certain cafe that's very very far away from you".

    Nice cafe, I thought. I figured I'd buy the thief a latte for being such a great guy.

    "Are you michael crawford?"

    "Yes."

    "Here's your computer."

    Then he fled in terror.

    --
    Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
    • (Score: 4, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @11:36PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @11:36PM (#667090)

      "Are you michael crawford?"

      "Yes."

      Then he fled in terror.

      We all do mate ;)

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @09:19PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @09:19PM (#667056)

    leak from apple? go to jail.
    lead from the fbi? win cash and prizes!

  • (Score: 3, Funny) by SomeGuy on Saturday April 14 2018, @11:10PM

    by SomeGuy (5632) on Saturday April 14 2018, @11:10PM (#667086)

    Mental note: When visiting Apple HQ, take a leak beforehand. Same goes for Walmart (yuck).

  • (Score: 2) by bzipitidoo on Sunday April 15 2018, @03:39AM

    by bzipitidoo (4388) on Sunday April 15 2018, @03:39AM (#667151) Journal

    And by jailbreak, I don't mean unlocking a phone!

    Has Apple managed to get anyone imprisoned for leaking?

    If they have, could the people put lots of pressure on the government to free them? Write letters to our representatives, maybe march in front of the prison, picket Apple headquarters, dump Apple stock, also demand our pension funds dump Apple, get their tax breaks canceled ... can do lots more than just a boycott.

  • (Score: 3, Funny) by Bot on Sunday April 15 2018, @07:54AM

    by Bot (3902) on Sunday April 15 2018, @07:54AM (#667199) Journal

    > "These people not only lose their jobs, they can face extreme difficulty finding employment elsewhere"
    is that a declaration they made irregular or illegal deals with other companies?

    Had I spare CPU cycles I would found a startup for the fired whistleblowers of apple google microsoft and (redhat except the guys who touched systemd). It would do consulting work and have the motto "we actually did the Don't Be Evil part". But SN posting takes too much time.

    --
    Account abandoned.
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