Publicity Via Cease and Desist

Stupidity

from the our-head-of-marketing-is-a-lawyer dept

Gadget site Gizmodo got a cease and desist letter from mobile phone manufacturer Sony Ericsson’s lawyers today, demanding the removal of some images of a potential future product some tipster had passed along. It looks like they’ve decided to ignore it, as the picture in question remains on their site, and the editors have made a pretty eloquent explanation of why this and other C&D letters are a pretty stupid tactic in the world of gadgets. Not only do they invoke the Streisand Effect, the chilling effect isn’t on future leaks, it’s on people’s impressions of the company and its products. Furthermore, what’s the deal with companies thinking they get to decide what’s legal and illegal? Isn’t that what courts do? SE’s lawyer writes that the C&D letter is confidential (even without Gizmodo’s agreement or acceptance), and that how the site responds “very much would influence Sony Ericsson’s attitude towards” it. Apparently that’s what’s most important, rather than how it will influence the public’s attitude towards Sony Ericsson.