I’m sick of hearing this idiocy about paying for stolen goods.. either this is blatant trolling, Apple employees (Gray?) having fun or obstinate stupidity.
It wasn’t stolen. The only impropriety was in the original finder’s not attempting to give it to the police, having tried unsuccessfully to contact Apple. Contacting Giz (whom apple would presumably take seriously) was arguably a reasonable step to return the property to its rightful owner but asking for money for it is questionable. Giz’s giving money to photograph the phone before returning it to it’s rightful owner is neither unethical nor criminal.
Criminal law and the offences it creates are meant to be based on community standards, ie your personal ethics. If you’re basing your ethics on legal categories, then you’re doing it wrong.. particularly so if you happen to have very little understanding of those categories or the principles on which they are based.
Its indeed an incomplete point to make from the information but this /has/ been a disappointingly unprofessional affair, despite being dressed up as good reporting. All the articles have spoken of how down to earth the staff are, but the articles are written hypocritically and in a reactionary manner, rather than with integrity and wholesomeness. All it does is make the blog less endearing to professionals and enthusiasts alike.
I’ve explained my case numerously.. the goods weren’t stolen as there was no intention to deprive the owner, the requisite mens rea is not made out.
But in terms of ethics.. they obtained a piece of lost property (which the original finder had tried to return unsuccessfully) and handed it back to its rightful owners. in the interim they took some photos of it. Where is the impropriety?
There are only two actions in the whole episode that are questionable ethically.. 1)the original finder demanding money for the item (not Gizmodo’s fault) and 2)Naming of the engineer who lost the device, which was done quite unprofessionally despite any claims that it could potentially safeguard his job.
What there ISN’T in this whole deal is anything resembling a property crime on Gizmodo’s part.. or any ethical impropriety in terms of the way they dealt with the property. Anyone that is outraged by the way Giz handled apple’s prototype device is reacting emotionally rather than objectively thinking it through.
Guys,
From this event I assume you are driving your site traffic up, you’re getting good coverage on other sites but really far from credible journalism and it actually strafes into immature behaviour. Me personally, I feel like I’m reading the account of a 15 year old’s activities rather than a journalist’s account. I have a certain affinity to this site but you’ve turned me off completely, I’m sure I will still visit and it’s somewhat a funny situation but I’ve lost respect and its made me want to revert to other sites for my tech news.
Credible journalism? I think the great part about Gizmodo is that it’s NOT news site. It’s a blog site. It doesn’t have to tread the fine and boring lines that many mainstream news sites have to tread these days.
I don’t think Gizmodo has ever made itself out to be the a pinnacle of journalism. Just check out how many times F bombs are dropped in and bad jokes are had. It’s a great read, light entertainment and some pretty cool finds… a la iPhone 4G.
I challenge the mainstream news sources to break some the news Gizmodo has. Just look at how many of them picked up on the iPhone story.
I guess to hold all that techno babble BS in their heads, your editors had to forgoe the chip that many of us call a conscious. “Do anything to win at any cost” has been SUCH a successful long-term strategy in the past. I hope all those who had a hand in this get a kharmic backlash of epic proportions… you can apologize all you want and “stand up for Gray”, but you had HIS contact details via Facebook and your actions speak louder than words. “Douches” is too kind a sentiment.
By Posting this guys name and photo. Gizmodo has probably saved his job.
If apple got a phone back that’s photos had been shown all over the net. They could easily tell who’s phone it is and then fired the guy. At least now we can wait and see if apple fires him. Which they should not. As Gizmodo said. Its just a Fu$*ing Phone. We all knew a new iphone was coming out. Whats the big deal?
If Gizmodo would have returned the phone to Apple and posted they found a prototype lost by this engineer and Apple has requested we not speak about this find and post the young mans name, that would have been the ethical way to handle this.
I’d say they’re making heaps of posts because it is a huge scoop. As for their actions I strongly doubt they are criminal, and to my mind certainly not unethical.
I actually love the shape of this phone. I bought the touch at launch and hated the curve of the iphone. If it has a decent camera, I may finally buy one. (plus it finally has a fast browser now, thanks opera)
Agreed. Just cruel if you ask me. In Australia I believe we have a law called Theft by Find. If you find something which you know you should turn in but don’t it’s the same as theft. I would laugh if they got busted for something like that. Don’t get me wrong I wouldn’t want anyone to go to jail over it but a good wrap over the knuckles would serve them right.
I’m not going to bother clicking and reading, I like a lot of people simply don’t care. It’s not because I don’t like Apple, but because when the phone is officialy released I can expect the same obsessive over reporting that we just had about the ipad.
Come back to me with something at least half interesting!!
I for one will be boycotting Gizmodo from now on for outing this poor man who’s name will forever be tarnished and will find it very difficult to get a new job. I can understand revealing the new iPhone 4G (disecting it was questionable) but dragging this man through the mud is very poor journalism! Has Gizmodo offered him a job in case he is fired and left unemployable because of them? God know’s they’ve made a fortune off of his misfortune.
I wonder how the blogosphere would have reacted if it had been leaked say 3 months down the track that Gizmodo had instead curried favor with Apple by making every effort to return the PTCNEBR (phone that could not easily be returned) and as a result of that diligence, mended a few bridges and started to enjoy a favored Apple media relationship. Would those who are now baying teenie unprofessionalism be screaming fanboy shills?
Oh get off your high horses. Names get printed in the papers/tabloids all the time. How many people have been outed or disgraced in the papers over the last 100 years?
Think people, think.
Won’t comment on the purchase of the phone, as thats up to the individual jurisdiction.
well done apple. i think you smashed the pre-launch marketing of your latest calculator by acci-purposely drop-leaving it in a bar. how many did you set aside for this plan before they showed up in the hands of the right media peeps? that makes me want to buy one straight away. i am launching all of my new products this way now. your marketing ninja’s kung fu is way strong! by the way, i reckon we should make gizmodo explain their position one more time. go gizmodo.
Aaron
April 21, 2010 at 10:09 AM
You bought a stolen iPhone?!?
Report PermalinkNot a great day for Gizmodo.
Viddy
April 21, 2010 at 11:20 AM
Read the links – then comment!
Report Permalinksimulacrum
April 21, 2010 at 11:22 AM
I’m sick of hearing this idiocy about paying for stolen goods.. either this is blatant trolling, Apple employees (Gray?) having fun or obstinate stupidity.
It wasn’t stolen. The only impropriety was in the original finder’s not attempting to give it to the police, having tried unsuccessfully to contact Apple. Contacting Giz (whom apple would presumably take seriously) was arguably a reasonable step to return the property to its rightful owner but asking for money for it is questionable. Giz’s giving money to photograph the phone before returning it to it’s rightful owner is neither unethical nor criminal.
Criminal law and the offences it creates are meant to be based on community standards, ie your personal ethics. If you’re basing your ethics on legal categories, then you’re doing it wrong.. particularly so if you happen to have very little understanding of those categories or the principles on which they are based.
Report PermalinkSam Brady
April 21, 2010 at 7:56 PM
Its indeed an incomplete point to make from the information but this /has/ been a disappointingly unprofessional affair, despite being dressed up as good reporting. All the articles have spoken of how down to earth the staff are, but the articles are written hypocritically and in a reactionary manner, rather than with integrity and wholesomeness. All it does is make the blog less endearing to professionals and enthusiasts alike.
Report Permalinksimulacrum
April 22, 2010 at 9:29 AM
I’ve explained my case numerously.. the goods weren’t stolen as there was no intention to deprive the owner, the requisite mens rea is not made out.
But in terms of ethics.. they obtained a piece of lost property (which the original finder had tried to return unsuccessfully) and handed it back to its rightful owners. in the interim they took some photos of it. Where is the impropriety?
There are only two actions in the whole episode that are questionable ethically.. 1)the original finder demanding money for the item (not Gizmodo’s fault) and 2)Naming of the engineer who lost the device, which was done quite unprofessionally despite any claims that it could potentially safeguard his job.
What there ISN’T in this whole deal is anything resembling a property crime on Gizmodo’s part.. or any ethical impropriety in terms of the way they dealt with the property. Anyone that is outraged by the way Giz handled apple’s prototype device is reacting emotionally rather than objectively thinking it through.
Report PermalinkJuzzy
April 21, 2010 at 11:04 PM
Oh does Apple think we’re that dumb? They make a marketing ploy to hope Iphone users will take up the minimal new features.
As if an employee lost a phone prototype?
As if a legal document was sent to Gizmodo?
This is a very paying deal between Gizmodo and Apple in an attempt to gather public interest and it failed.
Gizmodo should be ashamed.
1) as if a legal document would be publicised by Apple with something so series.
2) as if an employee of Apple would not lose their job and not be publicised over the incident.
Get over yourself Steve Jobs, This was a failed marketing attempt of a new phone which lacks in features.
Report PermalinkJoe
April 21, 2010 at 12:18 PM
Guys,
Report PermalinkFrom this event I assume you are driving your site traffic up, you’re getting good coverage on other sites but really far from credible journalism and it actually strafes into immature behaviour. Me personally, I feel like I’m reading the account of a 15 year old’s activities rather than a journalist’s account. I have a certain affinity to this site but you’ve turned me off completely, I’m sure I will still visit and it’s somewhat a funny situation but I’ve lost respect and its made me want to revert to other sites for my tech news.
Damian Francis
April 21, 2010 at 12:53 PM
Credible journalism? I think the great part about Gizmodo is that it’s NOT news site. It’s a blog site. It doesn’t have to tread the fine and boring lines that many mainstream news sites have to tread these days.
I don’t think Gizmodo has ever made itself out to be the a pinnacle of journalism. Just check out how many times F bombs are dropped in and bad jokes are had. It’s a great read, light entertainment and some pretty cool finds… a la iPhone 4G.
I challenge the mainstream news sources to break some the news Gizmodo has. Just look at how many of them picked up on the iPhone story.
Report PermalinkQuixychick
April 21, 2010 at 2:20 PM
I guess to hold all that techno babble BS in their heads, your editors had to forgoe the chip that many of us call a conscious. “Do anything to win at any cost” has been SUCH a successful long-term strategy in the past. I hope all those who had a hand in this get a kharmic backlash of epic proportions… you can apologize all you want and “stand up for Gray”, but you had HIS contact details via Facebook and your actions speak louder than words. “Douches” is too kind a sentiment.
Report PermalinkSteve M.
April 22, 2010 at 1:25 AM
I just have one question: how do they post all this stuff if they’re not conscious?
Report PermalinkQuixychick
April 22, 2010 at 3:12 PM
Sometimes a spelling error is a Freudian slip.
Report Permalinkdoug
April 21, 2010 at 2:25 PM
By Posting this guys name and photo. Gizmodo has probably saved his job.
Report PermalinkIf apple got a phone back that’s photos had been shown all over the net. They could easily tell who’s phone it is and then fired the guy. At least now we can wait and see if apple fires him. Which they should not. As Gizmodo said. Its just a Fu$*ing Phone. We all knew a new iphone was coming out. Whats the big deal?
Frank, Brisbane Australia
April 24, 2010 at 6:23 AM
If Gizmodo would have returned the phone to Apple and posted they found a prototype lost by this engineer and Apple has requested we not speak about this find and post the young mans name, that would have been the ethical way to handle this.
Report Permalinkij
April 21, 2010 at 2:57 PM
Are you trying to hide your complicity in a possible crime by having dozens of posts on the same topic?
It doesn’t seem to be working.
Report Permalinksimulacrum
April 21, 2010 at 5:27 PM
Ridiculous.
I’d say they’re making heaps of posts because it is a huge scoop. As for their actions I strongly doubt they are criminal, and to my mind certainly not unethical.
Report Permalinkhmmm
April 21, 2010 at 9:56 PM
Well your mind needs a revamp.
Report Permalinkij
April 21, 2010 at 10:29 PM
Possibly criminal, but definitely unethical.
Gizmodo has been tainted by this sorry episode.
Report PermalinkGreg
April 21, 2010 at 4:37 PM
What a joke, look at it, it’s a massive brick!
Report PermalinkJulian
April 21, 2010 at 5:52 PM
Define massive…
Report Permalinkshef
April 21, 2010 at 9:45 PM
I actually love the shape of this phone. I bought the touch at launch and hated the curve of the iphone. If it has a decent camera, I may finally buy one. (plus it finally has a fast browser now, thanks opera)
Report Permalinkgizfizz
April 21, 2010 at 8:40 PM
Such a low act naming the Apple employee, another low in journalism….. low …. low
Report PermalinkLuke
April 21, 2010 at 10:45 PM
Agreed. Just cruel if you ask me. In Australia I believe we have a law called Theft by Find. If you find something which you know you should turn in but don’t it’s the same as theft. I would laugh if they got busted for something like that. Don’t get me wrong I wouldn’t want anyone to go to jail over it but a good wrap over the knuckles would serve them right.
Report PermalinkRemy
April 21, 2010 at 9:39 PM
I’m not going to bother clicking and reading, I like a lot of people simply don’t care. It’s not because I don’t like Apple, but because when the phone is officialy released I can expect the same obsessive over reporting that we just had about the ipad.
Report PermalinkCome back to me with something at least half interesting!!
Sam Brady
April 21, 2010 at 11:17 PM
More posts on this topic please. Its only a matter of weeks until I realise that you have had a look at the new iPhone.
Report PermalinkBrendan
April 21, 2010 at 11:34 PM
I for one will be boycotting Gizmodo from now on for outing this poor man who’s name will forever be tarnished and will find it very difficult to get a new job. I can understand revealing the new iPhone 4G (disecting it was questionable) but dragging this man through the mud is very poor journalism! Has Gizmodo offered him a job in case he is fired and left unemployable because of them? God know’s they’ve made a fortune off of his misfortune.
Report PermalinkKen
April 21, 2010 at 11:55 PM
I wonder how the blogosphere would have reacted if it had been leaked say 3 months down the track that Gizmodo had instead curried favor with Apple by making every effort to return the PTCNEBR (phone that could not easily be returned) and as a result of that diligence, mended a few bridges and started to enjoy a favored Apple media relationship. Would those who are now baying teenie unprofessionalism be screaming fanboy shills?
Report Permalinksimon
April 22, 2010 at 7:18 AM
Ouch what a cranky thread,Not bad to spice up the morning thanks for the jumpy read
Report PermalinkOHNFI
April 22, 2010 at 6:06 PM
GO GIZMODO, show up these secret little squirrels.
Report PermalinkOh only because Im looking so forward to the Next Iphone.
Does anyone know when its coming out??
high horses
April 27, 2010 at 11:20 AM
Oh get off your high horses. Names get printed in the papers/tabloids all the time. How many people have been outed or disgraced in the papers over the last 100 years?
Think people, think.
Won’t comment on the purchase of the phone, as thats up to the individual jurisdiction.
I’m off *Mounts high horse*
Report Permalinkandy
April 27, 2010 at 2:08 PM
well done apple. i think you smashed the pre-launch marketing of your latest calculator by acci-purposely drop-leaving it in a bar. how many did you set aside for this plan before they showed up in the hands of the right media peeps? that makes me want to buy one straight away. i am launching all of my new products this way now. your marketing ninja’s kung fu is way strong! by the way, i reckon we should make gizmodo explain their position one more time. go gizmodo.
Report Permalink