Apple tried to silence owner of exploding iPod with gagging order

[Erwin-Br]

Today an article in the Times: "Apple tried to silence owner of exploding iPod with gagging order".

According to the article, published here, Apple tried to silence a father and daughter from Liverpool with a gagging order after the girl's iPod Touch exploded.

The Times has learnt that the company would offer the family a full refund only if they were willing to sign a settlement form. The proposed agreement left them open to legal action if they ever disclosed the terms of the settlement.

"They’re putting a life sentence on myself, my daughter and Ellie’s mum, not to say anything to anyone. If we inadvertently did say anything, no matter what, they would take litigation against us. I thought that was absolutely appalling."

"We didn’t ask for compensation, we just asked for our money back"

Nice move, Apple! Good to know how Apple looks after its customers...

 

[JLUGO35]

Today an article in the Times: "Apple tried to silence owner of exploding iPod with gagging order".

According to the article, published here, Apple tried to silence a father and daughter from Liverpool with a gagging order after the girl's iPod Touch exploded.





Nice move, Apple! Good to know how Apple looks after its customers...

Haha wow this reminds me of the old Conan O'Brien parody about the iPhone. Towards the end of the skit he says its a hand grenade but most of all its a hard to use cell phone.

 

[northernmunky]

How bizarre!
My MacBook Pro battery exploded just after my one year warranty had expired and I got it replaced under applecare. Luckily it wasnt charred and burned like that image, it just expanded until it burst out of its case.

I wasn't gagged, but if they tried to gag me the letter is being posted on this forum!!

 

[hugorganista]

Anyone hear?

Did anyone hear about a worker in the China factory who was blamed for a lost prototype of an iPhone and he said he was interrogated and abused by Apple?

And a few days later he committed suicide?

Anyone know anything about this?

 

[dukebound85]

Did anyone hear about a worker in the China factory who was blamed for a lost prototype of an iPhone and he said he was interrogated and abused by Apple?

And a few days later he committed suicide?

Anyone know anything about this?

yes, theres a long thread about that on this forum

 

[OllyW]

Did anyone hear about a worker in the China factory who was blamed for a lost prototype of an iPhone and he said he was interrogated and abused by Apple?

And a few days later he committed suicide?

Anyone know anything about this?

https://www.macrumors.com/2009/07/2...y-commits-suicide-over-lost-iphone-prototype/

It has been discussed on here.

 

[hugorganista]

https://www.macrumors.com/2009/07/2...y-commits-suicide-over-lost-iphone-prototype/

It has been discussed on here.

Ahh Thank you!

 

[iBlue]

The dubious depths Apple will sink to scarcely surprise me anymore, and I think it's a real shame. As much as I like many Apple products, I don't feel very good spending money on them any more. Frankly put, I think Apple inc are a bunch of shady bastards.

FWIW - I say this based on several disappointing news and experience stories about Apple in recent years.

 

[nazuk]

Perspective anyone?

Dear oh dear...

Let's get this into some kind of perspective.

First of all the iPod in question was DROPPED.

Secondly, Apple with it's huge loot of cash in the bank, appears to 'attract' people who are likely to sue them.

Finally, we don't even know all the facts - just a newspaper that like's to sensationalize and take advantage of a story that is likely to raise questions and provide drive by readers from all over the world to it's website.

I am NOT saying Apple is NOT to blame at all, but please - lets not judge until we have all the facts - which we will probably never get anyway.

If Apple does routinely 'gag' it's complainers, surely over the years, with the millions and millions of ipods and itouch's and iphones, we would have heard about it by now?

This story smacks of lazy journalism.

Final thought: who am i more likely to 'trust', my answer: Apple!

 

[djellison]

If Apple does routinely 'gag' it's complainers, surely over the years, with the millions and millions of ipods and itouch's and iphones, we would have heard about it by now?

ERrr - well - we just have.

 

[Erwin-Br]

Sure it was dropped, but that's not the issue here. It should not have exploded! That's why they test these things and have to comply to strict safety regulations.

And this is not the first time Apple is trying to cover it up: Apple Insider already reported that "Following up on numerous reports of iPod batteries catching fire, a Seattle reporter says that Apple actively prevented her and others from learning the true scope of the safety hazard.". Link here.

It took more than 7-months for KIRO 7 Consumer Investigator Amy Clancy to get her hands on documents concerning Apple’s iPods from the Consumer Product Safety Commission because Apple’s lawyers filed exemption after exemption. In the end, the CPSC released more than 800 pages which reveal, for the very first time, a comprehensive look that shows, on a number of occasions, iPods have suddenly burst into flames, started to smoke, and even burned their owners.

 

[nazuk]

ERrr - well - we just have.

Actually, we don't know the 'real' truth. And more importantly, if this is just ONE case that has come out into the open, then Apple is not doing a bad job considering how many customers they have around the World let alone how many millions of products they sell.

Nearly everyone in their lives can think about a terrible customer service experience with large Corporations, and in my view with the amount of products I have purchased not only from Apple, but many OTHER Companies as well - they do a pretty damn good job.

And let's not forget, the customer dropped the iPod.

I'm sure if I dropped my TV, I won't get a refund - in fact, I would not only be stupid, but a complete @ss to even consider asking for one!

As for gagging orders, we don't know, the media play on words, and that's their job to drive traffic to their site.

Like I said earlier, if it came down to 'trust' I am more likely to trust Apple, rather than the media let alone any politician.

 

[FX120]

Actually, we don't know the 'real' truth. And more importantly, if this is just ONE case that has come out into the open, then Apple is not doing a bad job considering how many customers they have around the World let alone how many millions of products they sell.

Not doing a bad job at what? Silencing their customers from talking out about their experience in dealing with their products?

Nearly everyone in their lives can think about a terrible customer service experience with large Corporations, and in my view with the amount of products I have purchased not only from Apple, but many OTHER Companies as well - they do a pretty damn good job.

Good for you. To bad this is hardly the case for everyone.

And let's not forget, the customer dropped the iPod.

So? This isn't about the product, it's about the asinine legal crap Apple has no problem shoving on their customers.

I'm sure if I dropped my TV, I won't get a refund - in fact, I would not only be stupid, but a complete @ss to even consider asking for one!

Again, this is irrelevant.

As for gagging orders, we don't know, the media play on words, and that's their job to drive traffic to their site.

Seemed pretty clear to me. Apple doesn't want their customers discussing their experience with Apple's legal bullcrap. There is no good reason why a company should threaten their customers with legal action like that.

Like I said earlier, if it came down to 'trust' I am more likely to trust Apple, rather than the media let alone any politician.

Why? Because they're your pal? Because they care about you? Because they can't do anything wrong?

Apple is just as foul and untrustworthy as any other corporation in the world. They're not in business to be your friend, they're only around to take your money.

Pull your head out of your arse.

 

[mysterytramp]

Today an article in the Times: "Apple tried to silence owner of exploding iPod with gagging order".

Confidentiality in settlement agreements is hardly uncommon. Google "undisclosed settlement" and you should find thousands of hits. Here's one.

Think about it, if you ran a corporation and the lawyers got wind that they could score several thousand dollars if they cooked up the right case, you would insist your agreement keep the cash amount private.

Of course, the family doesn't have to sign the agreement. They can go to court where their lawyer probably isn't as good as the ones Apple will hire and they get zilch. Might still be a good deal.

mt