01.06.10
Apple’s #1 Product: Fake Hype
Summary: Apple is controlling coverage of its products not just by censorship of blogs but also fake ‘leaks’
APPLE — like Microsoft and Novell — is faking enthusiasm. Apple employs so-called ‘evangelists’ and uses all sorts of other mechanisms to get people excited or simply fake an expression of excitement, hoping that it would become infectious, even viral. It’s probably effective, but that’s beside the point. Some companies are paying famous people to stand in line, pretending that they are interested in some new gadget or imaginary products comprising just 0s and 1s (software can be duplicated infinitely and thus easily distributed, unlike hardware). Deception presents an ethical dilemma and pushes the envelope on legal grounds in the UK (ASA).
It is almost comical that Apple is deliberately ‘leaking’ information while taking down a blogger who genuinely leaked information not according to their schedule of fake ones. Yes, Apple took down at least one independent Mac Web site which decided to spread truths, not just rumours. That was in 2008 and there are still examples at present.
Microsoft too is deliberately ‘leaking’ stuff (downloads and information). Ethical or unethical? Either way, those companies knowingly lie to their customers. And in any case, more information about this can be found here.
Controlled leaks are almost always the solution to a problem.
It ought to be recognised that many so-called ‘leaks’ are fake (there is concrete proof) and similar tricks are being used to sell an illusion of scarcity, Vista 7 downloads being an obvious and recent example that we covered a year ago. █
“FSF did some anti-Apple campaigns too. Personally I worry more about Apple because they have user loyalty; Microsoft doesn’t.”
–Bradley M. Kuhn (SFLC)
