A case MiceAge might want to keep their eye on...

[Bacon]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6824038/

A 19 year old who's been running a site for 6 years that reports on Apple inside info is being sued by Apple. Depending on how this goes, it may set an interesting precedent for anyone obtaining and reporting privelaged information, specifically information that may have been gained from people who break their NDAs.

[figment1986]

I doubt Disney would have enough money to sue all the disney sites.. and would rather focus on tightening security.....

This site is mostly safe.. though they may target someone else.. like Jim hill if they wanted...

[brian9549]

I agree. There are just too many sites that have Disney info. Most of them are just speculation anyways, there are only a few, like MiceAge that get most of it right. :monkey:

[Bacon]

I agree. There are just too many sites that have Disney info. Most of them are just speculation anyways, there are only a few, like MiceAge that get most of it right. :monkey:

Which is exactly why MiceAge needs to pay attention to this. If Apple wins, that will set a precedent, and make it much easier for Disney to act. Yes, there are a lot of sites out there, but most of them do not have the kinds of inside info that MiceAge gets. Al and Jim are probably the two most high profile and would be, in my estimation, first on the list.

[HauntedPirate]

Sounds like sour grapes on Apple's part. Why not go after the people *giving* him the information? Because that would be too hard, and it sounds like someone at Apple is embarrassed....

[150cc]

I don't think Al would need to worry.

Maybe he would have needed to worry back in the miserable Harriss/Pressler era.

But nowadays, haven't you been reading Al's articles?

He has a POSITIVE TAKE.

Why would Disney want to shut him down? He is praising them for fixing things up.

[iluvdisneyland]

From what I understand, Disney fan Websites in general are tolerated because they, in essence, free advertising for the Company.

[150cc]

From what I understand, Disney fan Websites in general are tolerated because they, in essence, free advertising for the Company.

My point exactly.

Or at least they are nowadays. Maybe not two years ago, when they were major detractors.

[MrLiver]

There's somewhat of a difference here. Apple is part of the computer industry - which is very competitive. Releasing news that Apple is developing a computer for under 500, weeks or months before they announce it to the public, gives the other computer manufacturers more time to respond. If the other Manufacturers come out with models under $400 before Apple's $500 model debuts, it could seriously hurt sales of their product.

In a case like that, the damage done by the information could outweigh any good faith toward their fans. Sure thinksecret.com might encourage people to look into Macs - but if they're costing the company millions it doesn't matter.

And it's that millions part that's really important. For a corporation to sue someone or take any court action, it costs them millions of dollars in legal fees. That alone makes it impractical to sue anyone distributing your content unless you can prove or show that your losses and damages would be in excess of what you would lose in fighting the case. Disney would be more willing to fight a case like the Pooh trial or the Ovitz trial where millions upon millions (or even billions) of dollars are at stake. They're less likely to go after some web reporter because he said the food at the Inn Between sucks. How could they prove that anyone would NOT go to Disneyland because of the things posted on the Internet? Especially when attendance is up.

I don't think there's any question though that Al and other web reporters with inside information are breaking the law though. Heck even an ODV cast member who could come home and post casually on their live journal that they didn't do a good job cleaning one of the wagons because they were tired is violating the law.

Just one of those "eh whatcha gonna do" kind of things.

[testtrack321]

There's somewhat of a difference here. Apple is part of the computer industry - which is very competitive. Releasing news that Apple is developing a computer for under 500, weeks or months before they announce it to the public, gives the other computer manufacturers more time to respond. If the other Manufacturers come out with models under $400 before Apple's $500 model debuts, it could seriously hurt sales of their product.

In a case like that, the damage done by the information could outweigh any good faith toward their fans. Sure thinksecret.com might encourage people to look into Macs - but if they're costing the company millions it doesn't matter.

And it's that millions part that's really important. For a corporation to sue someone or take any court action, it costs them millions of dollars in legal fees. That alone makes it impractical to sue anyone distributing your content unless you can prove or show that your losses and damages would be in excess of what you would lose in fighting the case. Disney would be more willing to fight a case like the Pooh trial or the Ovitz trial where millions upon millions (or even billions) of dollars are at stake. They're less likely to go after some web reporter because he said the food at the Inn Between sucks. How could they prove that anyone would NOT go to Disneyland because of the things posted on the Internet? Especially when attendance is up.

I don't think there's any question though that Al and other web reporters with inside information are breaking the law though. Heck even an ODV cast member who could come home and post casually on their live journal that they didn't do a good job cleaning one of the wagons because they were tired is violating the law.

Just one of those "eh whatcha gonna do" kind of things.

And the theme park biz isn't competitive? They are suing because people are leaking info, nothing Miceage has to worry about, but other sites that post more inside rumors (JHM & Screamscape) should watch this.

[MickeyMania]

The theme park industry is competitive, but I don't think the majority of Al's information really equals this. He's not giving away specifics, details, and trade secrets of attractions or products enforced under a legal NDA.

Most of Al's juicy bits is company water cooler stuff. "Some building got repainted this week because Matt thought it was looking shabby. Middle managers at TDA are snobby and don't understand what theme parks are about."

It's one thing to say that Imagineers shut down an attraction to test a new ride vehicle. The Apple case is like if Al posted total schematics of the ride vehicle in question.

[Tink]

Sounds like sour grapes on Apple's part. Why not go after the people *giving* him the information? Because that would be too hard, and it sounds like someone at Apple is embarrassed....

But they are trying to go after the people who broke legally binding Non-Disclosure Agreements. They will more than likely stop going after Nick de Plume if he gives Apple the name of Apple employees who broke their contract with Apple.

As for Disney... Al seems safe- the only reason Disney-suits might want to get him is becuase he's pissed them off with his criticisms and nit-picks over their lack of respect for the traditions.

[MrLiver]

As for Disney... Al seems safe- the only reason Disney-suits might want to get him is becuase he's pissed them off with his criticisms and nit-picks over their lack of respect for the traditions.

Which is another point I don't think I made. I doubt that Disney would want to go to court over Al's articles, because in doing so they would be adding an air of legitimacy to what Al posted. If Al says that Disney is cooking hot dogs near raw sewage and then Disney takes him to court - they'd have to air out all their dirty laundry. I doubt they'd want to do that.

[mistryl]

Hahah, oh man, I forgot about the raw sewage hot dogs.

Anyway, I think this is something that's always been an issue on the internet. I think Al and Kevin know what their boundaries are, and there are just some things that they shouldn't write about.

[FrumiousBoojum]

I'm in agreement... Al is more observational, doesn't go too deep inside most of the time.

Jim Hill is the only major target if they were to do this. Almost every article of his says something about somebody he can't give the name of, but works in some area of Disney. His reasoning is always that he doesn't want to jeopardize their career. So, Jim's case is a little closer to the Apple than anything Al does...

[Tony]

While I understand the arguments for legal action, I don't understand how the webmaster can be held responsible. If I'm working on a website and someone tells me that Space Mountain caught fire last night I'll put it on the website. I didn't sign a NDA with Disney. I think, first and foremost, companies should go after the leaks and not the outlet. Another thing that I think makes this site pretty safe is that people send the stuff to them. Al isn't going door to door at cast members homes requesting insider info, they're volenteering it to him. Oh well, should be interesting to see how this case pans out.

[AO*]

http://www.echostation.com/features/lfl_wookiee.htm

[Tony]

THe only time i've heard of companies really going after a fan site is for some type of copyright enfringment which there is none of on this site. But, as was said above, this case could set a new standard.

[Morrigoon]

I'd like to see how they justify this, given the freedom of the press. If they sue someone, it's got to be the person who broke their agreement. And there is already legal precedent that journalists can't be forced to reveal their sources.

[TheDisneyInquisitor]

From what I understand, Disney fan Websites in general are tolerated because they, in essence, free advertising for the Company.

Yes, 99% of all Disney-related sites are positive & free advertisement. In fact, the only site that is Negative is Save Disney.

Jim Hill is the only major target if they were to do this. Almost every article of his says something about somebody he can't give the name of, but works in some area of Disney.

Partly true, but Jim usually talks about things that almost happened. He doesn't give specifics on whats-going-to-happen, but what-almost-happened.

-Michael
CODE BLUE: "The Points Don't Matter"