Fake Steve Jobs hoaxes TechMeme/bloggers

December 22, 2007 By

It’s all over TechMeme that Fake Steve Jobs has lawyers after him. This is so obviously a hoax it’s laughable. I bet that not a single blogger bothered calling Apple PR to check this story out. We are such suckers sometimes.

I don’t even need to call. First of all, anyone who knows lawyers knows that they’d never send out such communications the weekend before Christmas. Lawyers don’t work then. Can we have some common sense please?

Second of all, Apple PR would never pull such a stunt like this right before taking a week off for Christmas. It’d cause too much work over the Christmas break. Can we have some common sense please?

Geesshhh.

Serves you right for believing a single thing that Fake Steve Jobs writes. The dude is FAKE. Get it? You probably believed it when he wrote he loved me, didn’t you? Can we have some common sense please?

Bloggers, when are we going to stop repeating things just so we can get onto TechMeme? When are we going to start doing real work and start calling PR (I bet most of the bloggers on TechMeme don’t even know how to contact Apple PR) and waiting for a confirmation?

At least Scott Karp called it right.

If you believe a fake blogger you deserve all the slime attached to you that you get.

Filed Under: Scoble family
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  • David Sikes

    Yeah, I found it hilarious when I saw it on techmeme in google reader. Giz too. What fun.

    I never really considered it, but watching all the big names get trolled is great.

    Happy Holidays Scoble :)

  • David Sikes

    Yeah, I found it hilarious when I saw it on techmeme in google reader. Giz too. What fun.

    I never really considered it, but watching all the big names get trolled is great.

    Happy Holidays Scoble :)

  • Andy

    This was a great bit of trolling by Dan Lyons. He knew that this is slow news time and got a ton of people to bite on it. It just wouldn’t be FSJ without periodic threats to shut down after all.

  • Andy

    This was a great bit of trolling by Dan Lyons. He knew that this is slow news time and got a ton of people to bite on it. It just wouldn’t be FSJ without periodic threats to shut down after all.

  • http://www.parislemon.com/ MG Siegler

    Just for posterity’s sake I’ll note that I called BS on this very early on as well – hence the ‘fake apple’ in the title.

    apple’s lawyers threatening Lyon’s family seemed a bit too Keyser Soze-esque to me.

  • http://www.parislemon.com MG Siegler

    Just for posterity’s sake I’ll note that I called BS on this very early on as well – hence the ‘fake apple’ in the title.

    apple’s lawyers threatening Lyon’s family seemed a bit too Keyser Soze-esque to me.

  • http://www.winextra.com/ Steven Hodson

    I alluded to as much in my post (http://www.winextra.com/2007/12/22/satire-is-fine-until-it-bites-you-on-the-ass/) but given Apple’s move against ThinkSecret I still left the door open to the possiblity it was tue … but somehow I just couldn’t see it being so.

  • http://www.winextra.com Steven Hodson

    I alluded to as much in my post (http://www.winextra.com/2007/12/22/satire-is-fine-until-it-bites-you-on-the-ass/) but given Apple’s move against ThinkSecret I still left the door open to the possiblity it was tue … but somehow I just couldn’t see it being so.

  • Kamal Jain

    Robert, I am not a native English speaker, even I can smell that FSJ posting seems like a parody on the Apple’s settlement with Think Secret. There is nothing fake in the parody of that posting just like the whole FSJ blog is parody of the real SJ.

    Of course, my nose could deceive me:)

  • Kamal Jain

    Robert, I am not a native English speaker, even I can smell that FSJ posting seems like a parody on the Apple’s settlement with Think Secret. There is nothing fake in the parody of that posting just like the whole FSJ blog is parody of the real SJ.

    Of course, my nose could deceive me:)

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  • http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/ Karoli

    Yum, slime.

    Just so’s ya know…lawyers DO work the week before Christmas down this way, but one of the disadvantages of living where the real folks are is that we forget what it’s like to be among the beautiful people.

    I can’t remember a time where I’ve read a more sanctimonious post from you.

  • http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/ Karoli

    Yum, slime.

    Just so’s ya know…lawyers DO work the week before Christmas down this way, but one of the disadvantages of living where the real folks are is that we forget what it’s like to be among the beautiful people.

    I can’t remember a time where I’ve read a more sanctimonious post from you.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Karoli: it is santimonious cause I’ve seen this trend over and over and over again where bloggers simply just repeat what they see and don’t stop and question, or verify.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Karoli: it is santimonious cause I’ve seen this trend over and over and over again where bloggers simply just repeat what they see and don’t stop and question, or verify.

  • http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/ Karoli

    Well I was one of them. I’m rolling in the slime, too.

    Merry Christmas.

  • http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/ Karoli

    Well I was one of them. I’m rolling in the slime, too.

    Merry Christmas.

  • http://savewinnipeg.wordpress.com/ dreadsword

    I actually thought that it might be real; conducting a sure-to-be-hated legal campaign over the period where bloggers are likely to be otherwise occupied (and thus unable to mount a concentrated PR counterstrike) struck me as a particularly devious, apple-esque move.

    But, who knows with FSJ.

  • http://savewinnipeg.wordpress.com/ dreadsword

    I actually thought that it might be real; conducting a sure-to-be-hated legal campaign over the period where bloggers are likely to be otherwise occupied (and thus unable to mount a concentrated PR counterstrike) struck me as a particularly devious, apple-esque move.

    But, who knows with FSJ.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    dreadsword: as much as I love to hate Apple as the next guy (wait until you read http://www.scripting.com yesterday) their PR team isn’t evil, just doesn’t care about little bloggers. They also all love FSJ.

    This is false. It’s amazing that anyone believes anything that FSJ writes, to tell you the truth.

    I think I’m going to start a fake blog. It’s too easy to get so popular.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    dreadsword: as much as I love to hate Apple as the next guy (wait until you read http://www.scripting.com yesterday) their PR team isn’t evil, just doesn’t care about little bloggers. They also all love FSJ.

    This is false. It’s amazing that anyone believes anything that FSJ writes, to tell you the truth.

    I think I’m going to start a fake blog. It’s too easy to get so popular.

  • http://mickeleh.blogspot.com/ Michael Markman

    Robert, your conclusion is valid, but your proof point is not.

    If Steve wants the lawyers to work the week before Christmas, the lawyers work the week before Christmas. December 20, 1996, you may recall, is when the Apple-NeXT acquisition was announced. The lawyers worked. The PR folks worked. Lots of us worked.

  • http://mickeleh.blogspot.com Michael Markman

    Robert, your conclusion is valid, but your proof point is not.

    If Steve wants the lawyers to work the week before Christmas, the lawyers work the week before Christmas. December 20, 1996, you may recall, is when the Apple-NeXT acquisition was announced. The lawyers worked. The PR folks worked. Lots of us worked.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Michael: yeah, but that was an acquisition and it still wasn’t on the weekend. Picking on bloggers or journalists isn’t stuff that’s done on a weekend. Too much blowback potential and work potential.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Michael: yeah, but that was an acquisition and it still wasn’t on the weekend. Picking on bloggers or journalists isn’t stuff that’s done on a weekend. Too much blowback potential and work potential.

  • http://comicstripblog.com/ Comic Strip Blogger

    Robert, whether it is stunt or not I think that “fake Jobs” deserves to be taken down – exactly for being fake. Besides: he is hosted on blogger service which denies removal of libel blogs but in this case person behind the blog revealed himself so he can be sued. So Robert do you think that due to being fake he deservers to be taken down?

  • http://comicstripblog.com Comic Strip Blogger

    Robert, whether it is stunt or not I think that “fake Jobs” deserves to be taken down – exactly for being fake. Besides: he is hosted on blogger service which denies removal of libel blogs but in this case person behind the blog revealed himself so he can be sued. So Robert do you think that due to being fake he deservers to be taken down?

  • http://ericrice.com/ Eric Rice

    If it’s a hoax, it’s VERY detailed. In light of recent events. I would certainly have a reasonable doubt if I were on a jury.

    We do not actually know, by the way, if it is real OR fake. We are speculating, regardless of our opinion.

    Even Scott Karp’s post starts with exactly this: “I can’t be 100% certain…”

    Me either.

  • http://ericrice.com Eric Rice

    If it’s a hoax, it’s VERY detailed. In light of recent events. I would certainly have a reasonable doubt if I were on a jury.

    We do not actually know, by the way, if it is real OR fake. We are speculating, regardless of our opinion.

    Even Scott Karp’s post starts with exactly this: “I can’t be 100% certain…”

    Me either.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Eric: I’m 100% certain now. Not a single email came in overnight to demonstrate that this hoax was true.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Eric: I’m 100% certain now. Not a single email came in overnight to demonstrate that this hoax was true.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Comic: parody is one protection against libel. Also, he’s parodying a public figure, which means the standard of proving libel is much higher.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Comic: parody is one protection against libel. Also, he’s parodying a public figure, which means the standard of proving libel is much higher.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Eric: and we DO KNOW it’s fake! It’s a fake blog. NOTHING should be believed on that blog unless there’s proof. Note that he didn’t print emails. Didn’t do a video. Didn’t include quotes from his friends. Didn’t show the evidence to any other party. If Apple tried to shut me down you better believe I’m going to go over to my friends’ houses and show them the evidence and ask for their advice.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Eric: and we DO KNOW it’s fake! It’s a fake blog. NOTHING should be believed on that blog unless there’s proof. Note that he didn’t print emails. Didn’t do a video. Didn’t include quotes from his friends. Didn’t show the evidence to any other party. If Apple tried to shut me down you better believe I’m going to go over to my friends’ houses and show them the evidence and ask for their advice.

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  • http://www.daivddalka.com/createvalue/ David

    I’ve often wondered why does Google indexes satire news sources liek The Spoof (they verify the “value” of sources” and to a lesser extent fake blogs. Anyone?

  • http://www.daivddalka.com/createvalue/ David

    I’ve often wondered why does Google indexes satire news sources liek The Spoof (they verify the “value” of sources” and to a lesser extent fake blogs. Anyone?

  • http://www.free-ipod-touch.blogspot.com/ Jose

    I actually believed it. Silly me :P After reading this article I’m sure it’s a hoax.

  • http://www.free-ipod-touch.blogspot.com Jose

    I actually believed it. Silly me :P After reading this article I’m sure it’s a hoax.

  • http://www.wakingideas.com/ Daniel Nicolas

    It shows to a lesser extent how easy it is to “game” sites like Techmeme. Anyone who complains that they never get on is fooling themselves.

  • http://www.wakingideas.com Daniel Nicolas

    It shows to a lesser extent how easy it is to “game” sites like Techmeme. Anyone who complains that they never get on is fooling themselves.

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  • Sam I am

    Well, Scoble, you got on to TechMeme didn’t you?

    Merry Christmas, fuckwit!

  • Sam I am

    Well, Scoble, you got on to TechMeme didn’t you?

    Merry Christmas, fuckwit!

  • http://copyblogger.com/ Brian Clark

    >>>but given Apple’s move against ThinkSecret I still left the door open to the possiblity it was true …

    That’s what makes it satirical (and hilarious).

  • http://copyblogger.com Brian Clark

    >>>but given Apple’s move against ThinkSecret I still left the door open to the possiblity it was true …

    That’s what makes it satirical (and hilarious).

  • ulf marcus

    And what if it was real, but he decided to end it with the kaufman twist that readers had previously suggested?

    What if by leaving readers with this twist, Lyons could allow himself to still tell the truth about Apples very real offer and somewhat unfortunate legal threat?

    I don’t know. Probably it’s just a simple hoax. But it was very cleverly performed and an intriguing read.

  • ulf marcus

    And what if it was real, but he decided to end it with the kaufman twist that readers had previously suggested?

    What if by leaving readers with this twist, Lyons could allow himself to still tell the truth about Apples very real offer and somewhat unfortunate legal threat?

    I don’t know. Probably it’s just a simple hoax. But it was very cleverly performed and an intriguing read.

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