Brian GarnerThe story of Apple's "Worldwide Loyalty Team" starts simply: "Among some employees, they are known as the Apple Gestapo, a group of moles always spying in headquarters and stores, reporting directly to Jobs and Oppenheimer. Here's how they hunt people down."
With tongue implanted somewhat-in-cheek, Gizmodo relayed the harrowing tale Tuesday, of an Apple employee known by the name of Tom.
According to the source, Apple takes leaks very seriously. When a leak is suspected, a very specific protocol is followed, involving the confiscation of all cell phones and a total blackout of all unmonitored communication. "It is like a gag order, and if the employee does not want to participate they are basically asked to leave and never come back," says Tom.
"The same Worldwide Loyalty Team does many other things to keep everyone in check, from searching out the email history of every employee, to seeding fake images to catch potential leaks and diffuse the hype about some product introductions."
The story ends with a allusion to Apple's famous '1984' commerical, "I wonder if the special forces have ever chased anyone though the Infinite Loop campus, dressed in their full regalia: I wouldn't be surprised."
Andrew Orr
Sponsored Content
Wesley Hilliard
Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
William Gallagher
40 Comments
Gizmodo highlights the story of Apple's 'Gestapo' Loyalty Team as relayed by a Cupertino employee known simply as Tom.
With tongue implanted somewhat-in-cheek, Gizmodo relayed the story Tuesday, of an Apple employee known by the name of Tom.
The story of Apple's "Worldwide Loyalty Team" starts simply: "Among some employees, they are known as the Apple Gestapo, a group of moles always spying in headquarters and stores, reporting directly to Jobs and Oppenheimer. Here's how they hunt people down."
According to the source, Apple takes leaks very seriously. When a leak is suspected, a very specific protocol is followed, involving the confiscation of all cell phones and a total blackout of all unmonitored communication. "It is like a gag order, and if the employee does not want to participate they are basically asked to leave and never come back," says Tom.
"The same Worldwide Loyalty Team does many other things to keep everyone in check, from searching out the email history of every employee, to seeding fake images to catch potential leaks and diffuse the hype about some product introductions."
The story ends with a allusion to Apple's famous '1984' commerical, "I wonder if the special forces have ever chased anyone though the Infinite Loop campus, dressed in their full regalia: I wouldn't be surprised."
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
The secret's good with me Tom!
Ahh the scales have fallen off of Jesus Diaz' eyes - he is disillusioned and bitter now that a disguntled and former employee alleges extreme security measures to stem leaks at Apple. "Tom" should count himself lucky to have had such a mild experience.
Having worked on DARPA projects for a manufacturer, and having been involved in coding discovery material for a major litigation support firm, makes that look like a piece of cake compared to the draconian controls employed elsewhere. Most companies now have rapid response teams, and NDAs that are very tightly enforced. You don't like it you don't work for those firms. There are many that don't have these controls because much of what they do - like universities. You can usually be on the cutting edge of developing something without the crazy lock-down. But if the government takes an interest, that can change. And the down thread commentary is wonderful - read everything to the bitter end. It is both delightfully naif and shocking I tell you!
Nice, Sounds like some 007 .....
I work for the gov't. We get poly'd, and piss tested. This story, while scary to the outsider, is not even close to how it is in the real world.
Gizmodo highlights the story of Apple's 'Gestapo' Loyalty Team
Prince/Dan has a more scathing reaction to the Gizmodo article at RoughlyDrafted.