Marketing Pilgrim

It’s not my intention to host a series of articles pointing out Apple’s missteps in social media, but the company continues to put its foot in it.

This time, Apple bullied Think Secret–a popular Apple rumor blog–to cease existence. The shut down comes as part of a settlement that at least protects Think Secret’s sources.

Here’s the statement posted on the Think Secret site…

Apple and Think Secret have settled their lawsuit, reaching an agreement that results in a positive solution for both sides. As part of the confidential settlement, no sources were revealed and Think Secret will no longer be published. Nick Ciarelli, Think Secret’s publisher, said “I’m pleased to have reached this amicable settlement, and will now be able to move forward with my college studies and broader journalistic pursuits.”

As Techdirt points out, there wasn’t any legal precedent for pursuing Think Secret–they were just the messenger. Apple should have pursued the person who divulged their confidential secrets. But, with Think Secret refusing to give up that information–and courts not likely to force them–it was easier for Apple to charge against the blog.

We can sit here and debate whether Apple was right to protect its confidential information, but this action once again proves that Apple has no desire to embrace social media–at least not anytime soon.