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Apple settles blogger lawsuit

21/12/2007

Computer giant Apple has settled its lawsuit with a blog website which leaked details of its products before their official unveiling.

No details of the agreement have been released apart from the shutdown of website ThinkSecret.com, which had been originally sued in January 2005.

A statement on ThinkSecret.com described the outcome as a "positive solution for both sides" and said the confidential settlement included an agreement no sources would be revealed. Apple had pressed for the leakers' identities to be revealed.

ThinkSecret's publisher Nick Ciarelli, who was just 13 when he set up the website, 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."

An Apple spokesperson also described the settlement as "amicable", adding the firm was "happy to have this behind us".

Claiming victory, Mr Ciarelli's lawyer, Terry Gross, told Computerworld the "first amendment has prevailed" as a result of the settlement.

"Internet journalists should feel some strength from what's happened," he said.

Expressing confidence he would have won the lawsuit filed against his client, Mr Gross added: "I would have loved for Apple to go forward on this. Apple would have caved, which they should have in the beginning."