Today’s lineup highlights the futility of most news embargoes. I can count perhaps 10 items that leaked before the official US announcements. I can’t tell you what they are—ironically, I’d be breaking now meaningless non-disclosure agreements. And while I’d like to say that all these came from master sleuths or connected Deep Throats, most leaks are ridiculously mundane, springing from a missed memo, sloppy file handling or an overly excited vendor. All of this leads me to believe that companies are not using news embargoes correctly, and should really rethink them.

A friend of mine at one electronics manufacturer says he has trouble because his counterparts in Asia always announce products without letting him know, so the Asian editions get blown all over the web, stealing his thunder. One major cellphone maker is constantly vexed by a European carrier that likes to blab about phones that are supposed to be secret. On a regular basis, Amazon.com posts products that ought to still be under wraps.

Recently, we had a situation where PR agency people handed us ready-to-print information and images, which they then discovered had been under embargo from their client. They asked us to pull it down, but it was just too late, it was all over the web. And besides, it wasn’t a breach of any agreement.