Mac Sites File Appeal in Trade Secrets Suit

Two Mac Web sites filed an appeal Tuesday over a judgeis ruling earlier this month that ordered them to divulge to Apple the identities of individuals who leaked sensitive product information.

Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge James Kleinberg ruled in Appleis favor on March 11, stating that information about the unreleased "Asteroid" product leaked to the Web sites MacNN/AppleInsider and PowerPage was "stolen property" and that the writers werenit entitled to protections.

"The California courts have a long history of supporting and protecting the freedom of the press," said attorney Kurt Opsahl of the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation, which is representing the journalists. "The Court of Appeal will now get the opportunity to correct a ruling that endangers all journalists."

In addition to citing the first amendment, Mr. Opsahl is arguing that Apple should subpoena its own employees before subpoenaing journalists, and that the company should employ computer forensics to find the leak.