Apple Sends 3rd Grader Cease And Desist Letter

A nine year old iPod Nano user, sent Apple new product ideas to make the iPods better. Instead of receiving a thank you note, she received a Cease and Desist notice from legal department of Apple.

Nine year old Shea O’Gorman is an avid iPod Nano user. She started to learn writing letters in her class. She decided to practice it by writing a letter to Steve Jobs, Apple President, and wanted to share some new product ideas for iPod Nano.

She was excited with this little assignment and told her mom that she is going to write a letter addressed to Steve Jobs. Shea’s mother was very happy and proud of her daughter.

In the letter, she wrote how Steve Jobs can improve the iPods by outlining her ideas. One of the suggestions was adding song lyrics to iPod, so the users can sing-along with the song, which I think is inventive for a nine year old child.

After writing the letter she mailed to Apple, she didn’t get a response back for three months, until she received one letter from Apple. Shea and her family were excited to receive this letter and in anticipation they opened the letter and was devastated with the contents especially Shea. Shea’s mom said to the TV station:

She was very upset. She kind of threw the letter up in the air and ran into her room and slammed the door,”

The letter was not from Steve Jobs, rather from the senior counsel, Apple Law Department, which wrote a long letter telling Shea to Cease and Desist sending ideas to Apple. They said they don’t need her suggestions and if she wants to know the reason why, she can read their legal policy on their website. They don’t want any unsolicited ideas from anyone, be a nine year old kid or anybody else.

Shea’s mom felt outraged with this response and said it is an odd way to respond to a nine year old like that.

It kind of seemed like they were saying well we don't want your idea like it's not good or anything,”

Her mom thinks that Apple’s behavior shows double standards, on the one hand they are promoting themselves as an educator for children, and should have responded in a better way rather than the rude response from its legal department.

Later the news channel contacted them and it seems Apple had apologized to Shea’s family. I think one of their top executives should invite her and talk to her honestly in person. Even if the idea is bad, this is not the way to treat a child or any customer for that matter. Customers send ideas because they love the company, otherwise they wouldn’t send ideas. The company should be happy they are giving free ideas for it. If the idea is bad, they should say why it won’t work with the current environment, the customer will understand.

You can’t blame Apple for this single incident, but I am sure Steve Jobs wouldn’t have responded this way. I hope Shea doesn't get flustered by this incident and keep having these great ideas.