A recent memo detailed the lengths to which Apple is willing to go to stop employees from leaking information about upcoming products. It’s an on-going problem. Last year’s iPhone X launch, you might remember, was spoiled by a leak to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. And while that may have been the largest, it certainly wasn’t the…
A recent memo detailed the lengths to which Apple is willing to go to stop employees from leaking information about upcoming products.
It’s an on-going problem. Last year’s iPhone X launch, you might remember, was spoiled by a leak to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. And while that may have been the largest, it certainly wasn’t the only leak Apple had to deal with. All told, the company caught 29 leakers last year, all of whom were fired. 12 were arrested.
Some employees, however, didn’t seem to get the memo. But the press did, right after an Apple employee leaked it to Bloomberg.
The memo is a lengthy one, and this is just a snippet of what’s included. It goes on to say that leaks carry “serious consequences” and that journalists are essentially leeches that want to befriend tech employees only to leak information ascertained from these marks.
Maybe you can hear my eyes rolling, but I don’t know a reporter that would sacrifice a source’s anonymity (thus risking their job or freedom) in exchange for a story. Responsible reporters consider the well-being of a source first. A single story isn’t nearly as valuable as a trusted individual inside a company like Apple, after all. And trust works both ways.
It wraps up with this:
I have a different solution for Apple, one that could minimize future leaks. Perhaps the company could take a look at its slogan and “Think Different,” especially in how it works with the press. When Apple PR won’t engage with most members of the media — instead subscribing to a walled garden approach in an attempt to control the message — it leaves reporters hunting for this information on their own.
When reporters go digging for information, Apple shouldn’t be surprised when they find it.
In a Leaked Memo, Apple Warns Employees to Stop Leaking Information on Bloomberg
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