Apple Sends 3rd Grader Cease And Desist Letter
The company replied to the young girl after she sent them some ideas to make the iPod Nano better.
(CBS 13) Like any nine-year-old, Shea O'Gorman spends a lot of time listening to her iPod Nano. So much so, that when her third grade class started learning about writing letters she thought, who better to write to than the man whose company makes her iPod.
“I decided to write to Mr. Steven Jobs,” said Shea. Jobs is the president of Apple Computers.
“She just came home and said ‘mom I have some ideas about the iPod Nano,’ and said ‘I'm going to write Steven Jobs a letter’,” said Shea’s mother. “We were just very impressed and very proud of her.”
In her letter, Shea outlined her ideas for improving iPods like adding song lyrics.
“Have the words on the screen so they could sing along and stuff,” said Shea.
So she mailed it, and waited for three months, and when a letter arrived from apple, the whole family gathered around to read it.
“She was very upset. She kind of threw the letter up in the air and ran into her room and slammed the door,” said Shea’s mom.
The letter was not from Steve Jobs, it was signed the senior counsel, Apple Law Department.
That's right, apple's legal department, telling a nine year old that apple does not accept unsolicited ideas. Apple's legal department told her not send them her suggestions, and if she wants to know why, she could read their legal policy on the Internet.
“We were stunned, we just were stunned, is the best word to say. It just wasn't the appropriate type letter to send to a third grader who had the initiative to write to them,” said Shea’s mom.
“It kind of seemed like they were saying well we don't want your idea like it's not good or anything,” said Shea.
And her mom thinks it's even worse coming from apple. “They are a company who tries to promote itself as an educator of children. That was really, it was unacceptable. They know better than that,” said Shea’s mom.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
